Side By Side
by IronicVeghead
Summary: Tenten took a solo-mission, but something went wrong. She is held prisoner. Neji finds out and gets the team together to help her, while fighting the emotions he feels for her. All the while, Tenten is determined to escape. NejiTen.
1. A solo mission!

** Hello everyone! Thank you for reading my story! I just want to let you know that it IS already finished. So no worries about me abandoning it. ****. But I can make changes if you find anything that seems 'off' or a typo or anything. Thanks! And enjoy!**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**CHAPTER ONE**

"Kaiten!"

"Damnit Neji!" Tenten complained as she jumped down from her perch on a tree branch. "Your ultimate defense is too…ultimate!" She huffed while she began picking up her weapons scattered around. Neji chuckled slightly as he also began to pick up weapons.

"That's why it is _called_ the ultimate defense Tenten…" Neji explained logically. Tenten scoffed

"How am I supposed to defeat you when long, middle, and short range attacks are useless?" She pondered out loud. They had collected all of the kunoichi's weapons and sat in the middle of the training grounds.

"I suggest you find a different range of attack then," Neji smirked as he sat in his meditating pose with his eyes closed. Tenten rolled onto her stomach on the grass.

"Ha. Ha. Very funny Neji, but your blatant egoism is ceasing to amuse me," She countered with a smile.

"Who said I was trying to amuse you? I do not _amuse_ people," He spoke with a frown. Tenten laughed.

"Well, I have to agree there. Most of the time you don't amuse people, you scare them," Tenten said as she took the opportunity to admire Neji's silky hair while his eyes were closed.

"Scare people?" He cracked an eye open, Tenten held back a blush at the possibility of being caught staring.

"Yup, you can be quite intimidating" Tenten giggled at how she was annoying the prodigy.

"Intimidating and scaring have two very different meanings," Neji said very 'matter-of-factly'.

"Okay, but you do both. You terrify some people too. Did you know that?" Tenten started with a new adjective.

"I don't believe I _terrify_ people, not commonly," He continued to frown.

"Oh, quite often," The girl teased.

"I do _not_," He emphasized.

"Frightening" She stated airily.

"That's absurd,"

"Like a big scary monster!"

"I disagr-"

"ROAR!" Tenten yelled as she jumped up. Neji's eye twitched and a vein showed in his forehead. She went into a fit of giggles.

"That was childish," Neji said as Tenten tried to control her laughter.

"You should have seen your face Neji! I really got you!" Tenten beamed at her accomplishment.

"Congratulations" Neji said simply. Tenten raised an eyebrow.

"You're…congratulating me?" She spoke suspiciously.

"…For lowering your age to that of a toddler," Neji stated with a brief smile on his face. Tenten smiled back.

"Well thank you Neji!" She laughed.

"YOSH! Our youthful teammates are already here!" Maito Gai yelled out as he and Lee approached at top speed. Neji smile dissipated instantly. "So! Youthful students! Are you all ready to train!" Their sensei yelled once more when he and Lee arrived.

"YES! Gai-sensei!" Lee yelled back. As enthusiastic as ever. Neji and Tenten had stood up and were now completing the circle with their team.

"YOSH! Wonderful! So today, Lee and Neji will spar using all of their youth!" Gai grinned. Lee nearly squealed, Neji looked pissed off.

"What about me?" Tenten asked.

"You! Our youthful flower, have been called to the Hokage's office! So off you go!" Gai grinned some more as he began to cheer her in the right direction.

"Really! Okay, see you guys later!" Tenten smiled before she took off.

"Goodbye our youthful flower!" Gai yelled.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Tenten was excited but took her time walking to the Hokage's town. It was a nice day and she wanted to enjoy that. Ever since getting to know Neji all those years ago she learned that the little things can be the most important. The briefest hint of a smirk for Neji is a smile. Not getting insults is a complement, and a twitch of an eyebrow either means he is really angry or laughing on the inside.

Of course, all of this is only in public. Tenten happily thought about her and her best friends' progression from acquaintances to teammates to friends. She giggled at how she used to think he was a complete asshole. As she now knows that he is only _mostly_ an asshole. Lee his is still mean to, and Gai, and most all of the population of Konoha. Tenten frowned as she realized that she couldn't think of anyone he _isn't_ an asshole to…but still, he had come a long way.

She thought about how Naruto was the biggest catalyst in his ways, as Temari was in hers. After the Chunin exams she and Neji had bonded more. It was that, that really started their friendship. Tenten thought about how she still needed to thank Temari for that.

Temari would be easy to find sometime next week, Tenten decided. She was in town to make some more wedding arrangements with Shikamaru. They were so weird.

_At least they sort of balance each other out…_Tenten pondered.

As she thought, she realized that she was the last girl in Konoha to find love…

_Hinata and Naruto have been spending a lot of time together, Sai asked Ino out a month ago…and Sakura is closing in on Sasuke's whereabouts. Hmm. I guess Sakura technically doesn't have a man she will once she drags him back here._

Love is always hard in the ninja world, but it also made many a shinobi stronger. Sakura would have never trained so hard had it not been for Sasuke's influence. Hinata was always working to improve in the mindset of getting Naruto's attention. Shikamaru works his hardest when friends were on the line…and sadly, Tenten too fit into that category.

Tenten was young when her parents were killed; blacksmiths who were coming to Konoha to sell weapons. Tenten was with them when ninjas attacked their wagon. Her father managed to hide her when the ninjas ambushed them for their weapons. Hidden under a blanket, Tenten wasn't protected from the sounds of her parent's cries when they were killed. The ninjas overlooked her while digging through the storage of weapons; leaving the empty cart without a care. Tenten made it to Konoha a changed girl.

She was stuck in an orphanage for a few years, moping the first year after the loss of her only known family. She was just Tenten, no one had known her here and the experience had traumatized her into forgetting her last name.

It was after that first year that Tenten realized that she could do something for herself. She got into the academy when she was of age and started her ninja career. Tenten became strong and stayed strong in her beliefs that she would become a shinobi to protect herself, protect others, and to protect her new home.

_And I will never back down, I will never be weak. That is __**my**__ nindo. I will make a name for myself, I don't need a clan. I will be known as 'Tenten, the Weapons Mistress of Konoha'. _

By this time Tenten had reached the Hokage's tower. Upon entering she found Sakura gearing up for a mission. This was a common sight, Sakura was sent on many medical-related solo-missions. Tenten jogged up to her friend.

"Hey Sakura, got another mission?" She started. Sakura looked up from putting her boots on and smiled.

"Hey Tenten! Yeah, just a quick one to a small village with an outbreak. I can't be long because Naruto, Kaka-sensei, Sai, Yamato-san and I are heading out sometime soon to intercept Sasuke. He sent a message asking for help. Now that he killed Orochimaru, Sound is a mess. He is taking control and going to let Konoha take over soon. Now we are just waiting for his message to head out," Sakura beamed. Tenten smiled back.

"That's great, The Orochimaru gone Konoha's only other main enemy is the Akatsuki. But…how do you know that Sasuke is telling the truth? How come he suddenly changed his mind?" The weapons mistress pried. Sakura glanced around before leaning in closer to speak.

"He has been sending letters for over a year now, planning this. He even met up with a few AnBu to choreograph it. As much as I hate it…He is one brilliant bastard," Tsunade's apprentice scowled. Tenten laughed.

"Believe me, I know how you feel. But you're not going soft on him again now are you? Don't let me down," Tenten gave a coy smile that Sakura matched.

"Oh, don't you worry, I have his ass-kicking all planned out," The girls laughed together and went about their parting ways with goodbyes; Sakura to the gates, Tenten up the stairs to Tsunade's office.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Knock Knock**

"Come in!" Tsunade's loud voice pierced through the door. Tenten walked into her hero's office and wrinkled her nose. Hero or not, she didn't like sake.

"You summoned me, Hokage-sama?" Tenten questioned. Tsunade looked up from a file with an unreadable face and gestured to a chair in front of her desk.

"Sit, Tenten," She looked into her eyes, "I have a mission for you" Tenten unconsciously leaned forward.

"What kind of mission?"

"A B-rank, solo, retrieval mission," The Hokage smiled slightly as she watched Tenten's eyes light up. Tenten contained her enthusiasm for the moment and composed herself.

"What am I retrieving?" She asked professionally.

"A scroll, from one of Orochimaru's abandoned bases," She spoke as her honey colored eyes scanned the file in her hands, "It's B-rank because there are most likely rogue ninjas hiding away in there now. You are to get in, locate the scroll, get it, and get out. Preferably unnoticed.

"The shinobi there are most likely your level or higher, so to keep yourself prepared you will have this with you," The sannin spoke as she handed Tenten a scroll half the length of her forearm. She continued her debriefing when Tenten gave her a questioning look.

"It's a transportation scroll, not for you, but for the scroll you will retrieve. In case of an emergency, you can send the scroll back. I will send backup as soon as I can to assist you after that. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Tenten responded automatically.

"Good," Tsunade smiled at her, "You will leave tomorrow morning, you have one month at most before you _must_ return. But I trust you will do fine Tenten," Tsunade gave her a motherly look she reserved for all of her kunoichi, along with a smile. Tenten smiled back as she stood up and bowed.

"Thank you Hokage-sama," She voiced before nearly skipping out of the office.

_My first solo mission! This is so exciting! I can't wait to tell Neji. I wonder if he will be happy for me…?_ Tenten thought as she ran home to pack. She needed to get plenty of rest because it was a few days travel. She had reached her apartment in no time and was still packing when there was a soft two knocks on the door. The young woman smiled, she knew exactly who that was.

_Neji_

She swung the door open with a bright smile. Neji raised an eyebrow at her obvious extra-excitement. Tenten wasted no time as Neji wasn't going to ask more than that.

"I got my first solo-mission!" She gave him a grand smile as she moved away from the door to continue packing, still chatting as she collected things.

"Congratulations," Neji cut in her rambling.

"Thank you!" She smiled, "I leave tomorrow morning I'm so excited!"

By then Neji had silently entered the apartment and closed the door behind him, an amused look was etched on his face as he watched his friend scamper around the small space.

"Why the rush then?" The Hyuuga asked. Tenten turned for a split second to send him an 'are you serious?' look before answering.

"Because I'm _excited_," She emphasized, drawing out the 'excited' just to annoy her favorite teammate, "and its a few days travel away so I'll need to sleep soon"

"Hn,"

"Have you seen my bomb tags?"

"Look under your bed,"

"…wow! So you _are_ a genius!" Tenten exclaimed as she pulled an arm out from under her bed with bomb tags attached. She frowned when she was Neji pull a smirk at her statement. "I take that back! Maybe you're just a creeper!" She stared accusingly at the Hyuuga that made a near-chuckling sound in his throat.

"No need" was all he said, and it was all Tenten needed to comprehend her closest friend. She gasped.

"You're right! You don't even need to creep! You have the Byakugan…wait…was that a confession to creeperism Neji?" Tenten smirk this time.

"Hn," Neji grunted, Tenten took it as a 'no'.

"Do you think I have enough weapons?" She asked, eye the pile of metal she had collected that was up to her waist.

"You're obsessed," Neji stated in response, Tenten threw a kunai at him which he caught expertly. Tenten resorted to sticking her tongue at him. He sighed.

"Tenten, you have once again resorted to childish antics,"

"If you think I'm obsessed then why did you get me that awesome katana for my birthday? Huh?" Tenten pointed a finger at him, not letting him change the subject.

"Hn," He grunted once more, "You wanted it,"

Tenten's mouth flew open.

_He said it so simply! I can't believe he just said that! I knew he cared about me but him indirectly admitting it was near one of the last things I would expect him to do…wait…I need to respond…_

"In that case, should I send _you_ my list for Santa?" She joked, hoping Neji hadn't caught her short delay. Neji smirked.

"Only if you've been good," He joked. _Joked. _Tenten laughed.

_If only people knew that you aren't completely stone_. Tenten wished. Then noticed the time.

"Okay Neji, you have to leave now," She said heading to the door, "I have to sleep, I'll see you after my mission, so, in a week or two. Bye!" She called as he was heading out the door.

"Bye," He replied.

Tenten shut the door and sighed.

_His eyes are so pretty…_

"Ack! Damnit!" She voiced as she cursed her mind. Tenten had developed a crush early on in her friendship with Neji. But she was also working damn hard to keep it down and quiet.

"Now Tenten," She spoke to herself as she started getting ready for bed, "You have done so well ignoring those thoughts…please don't betray me. Neji is from an esteemed clan, main branch or not. The Hyuugas wouldn't let you marry him even if he loved you back. So don't be ridiculous and keep it together!"

The weapons mistress settled down in her bed and drifted off to sleep as she continued her discouraging pep talk in her head.

****

**Did you like it? I hope so! I plan to put up another chapter AT LEAST once a week. Maybe more if I get reviews…? (That's your cue!)…Or if I get too excited and just start throwing chapters up there. There will be 10 chapters. Each about this long. Thanks!**

** -Nexa**


	2. Naruto?

**CHAPTER TWO**

Tenten awoke to the sound of her buzzing alarm across the room. She rolled off her bed, groaning and proceeded to trudge to the offending noise. Taking all her bedding wither her. With a slap of the hand the buzzing stopped and the room was left deafening silent. Tenten yawned.

_Guh…why am I up so early?...I usually only get up- My mission! I have a SOLO mission!_

The young woman threw the mass of sheets back on the bed and raced to get ready. Humming happily as she fixed up her buns and got dressed. As she headed to the door she hefted her massive scroll on her back, feeling the internal comfort of being well-armed.

Locking the apartment door behind her, Tenten went to the Konoha entrance to the north. Waving to the Jounins at the gate, she mentally went through her route again. She had memorized the map the day before.

_Alright. Northwest it is._ Tenten thought to herself as she began to run into the woods, pacing herself for the journey ahead.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Team Gai's training grounds were silent, and nearly empty. But not completely empty, as in the middle of one field sat a Hyuuga.

Hyuuga Neji.

He was meditating for the moment, as he was waiting for someone. This was the best option for things to do as he waited. He would train, but as Tenten wasn't here the prodigy found training lacking…something.

And Neji refused to admit that the piece missing was Tenten herself. As that would be un-Hyuuga-ish.

Neji then noticed that he was meditating rather unsuccessfully. His mind kept drifting to his absentee teammate. But this wasn't unusual, Neji often thought about her when she was on a mission without him. He didn't really like it.

No one knew Tenten better than him, except maybe Tenten herself. It bothered him that he wasn't there to watch her back, he knew how selfless she could be when it came to life or death situations. She always put her teammates and the mission first. As much as he admired that mindset in a shinobi; he despised it in her.

The Hyuuga briefly thought about going to the Hokage and requesting to go with Tenten on her solo mission. But he knew that she was indefinitely happy about the mission and if he ruined it, he would become the target of a very pissed off Tenten.

Survival instincts told him to avoid that…

"Neji! Oi! Neji!" He heard it from a distance and knew instantly that it was who he was expecting.

He hadn't quite known what to think when Naruto had searched him out yesterday afternoon, but Neji agreed to meet him today as he had asked. The orange ninja was running up, he wasn't smiling. Neji noted immediately that whatever Naruto wanted to talk to him about must be serious for him not to be smiling.

"Hey Neji, glad you came," Naruto spoke as he halted in front of Neji.

"Hn," He responded.

"I want to talk to you about something that I want to do. But I thought that I should talk to you first," The blonde said, looking Neji right in the eyes. Neji stared right back.

"What would that be?" Neji asked, running through multiple possible responses.

"I…" Naruto stumbled in his words, "I, want to ask Hinata out!" He finished in a rush, his vibrant blue eyes were now wide and expectant. Neji paused.

This wasn't something he had thought up…

"I know that you really don't like me all that much but I would care for her, and I already do! I wanted to ask if it was alright with you first because you're like her overprotective older brother," Naruto was starting to ramble now, "And I'm going to ask her dad's permission next. I think I'll start by taking her to ramen…and I'll have to clean my apartment if I ever want to have her over to visit. But th-"

"Naruto," Neji spoke firmly, cutting him off. He had been thinking this through but this was still a lot to take in, "I need to think about this, I will meet you here tomorrow at the same time," He finished and walked off. He was already a good ways away but he could still here Naruto clearly when he started cheering.

"YES! He didn't say no! I have a chance! YES! Dattebayo!"

…Neji concluded…

That this was a lot to think about…

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Tenten was just setting up a makeshift camp after having arrived at the bases location not long ago.

_I made great time! I got here earlier than I expected._ Tenten internally congratulated herself as she hid her belongings in a hollowed out tree hole. _So the base is about a mile north of here, its afternoon; perfect time to start watching the guards. _

Tenten ran swiftly to the base. Like Orochimaru's usual bases, it was well hidden, even to the trained eye. But because Orochimaru wasn't running it, it was much easier to spot. The entrance was a split in the side of a rock face of a mountain. It was wide enough for someone to walk through, but not wide enough to be suspicious. She eyed the terrain around the entrance. There was a 5 meter radius of no trees, meaning no cover. The grass was slightly worn down from the traffic in and out. That told Tenten that there was a fair amount of shinobi living there. Not just a few as she had hoped.

Suddenly a sound caught her attention. She stood perfectly still, awaiting movement. A man came out from the split in the rock face, the entrance. He came to a halt a few steps out, looking around. He was your average height on a man, but his muscles were intimidating. A shirt which had the sleeves ripped off was on him, although much too small. Some wraps were around his darkly tanned arms. His pants were oddly nice, something he must have picked up he got there. They were black like his ripped up shirt, with pockets all around the sides. He also wore standard ninja sandals.

His face was rough, not recently shaven and very sharp. A mop of brown hair was greasy and cut at odd angle, it went down to about his ears, not hiding his piercing green eyes. He also had no visible ninja headband.

The chakra she felt from him told her that she could probably take him in a fight, but not too easily.

_If this is who they have on guard duty, then I can't imagine the level of ninja inside; at least not yet. _Tenten internally sighed. Now all she could do was wait and watch. It was important for the mission, but it was also really boring.

Neji was distraught. He didn't know what to say to Naruto. There were too many variables. And he knew he over-thought many things when it didn't come to shinobi matters.

_Tenten would know what to say_. He thought. She had strong opinions when it came to some things, love was one of them. She tells him that he should encourage both Naruto and Hinata, that Sasuke is a bastard, and that his Uncle should appreciate both him and Hinata as his children.

But knowing what she _would_ say isn't the same as debating something with her until he had reasoned a side for himself.

Naruto was faithful, which he knew because of his unfaltering loyalty to Sasuke. And he was taking this seriously, asking himself and Hisashi is polite and suicidal. Neji added courage to the list of Naruto's good attributes.

But he was also a boy, and boys have hormones. Neji didn't want Naruto to touch Hinata. He could just want into her pants. Neji wasn't stupid, he saw how pretty she was, and the looks she often got from the male race. Naruto also wasn't good with money; he spends most of it on ramen.

But…Neji thought again…He is a good ninja. He had to be, Neji figured, how else could he have survived this long wearing orange all the time? So he could protect Hinata. That was good…

Neji realized that he was coming up with more positive than negative things about Naruto, so he spent some more focus on _only_ thinking about bad things.

_He is an idiot…_Neji continued, pressing his mind for relevant reasons to not let Naruto date Hinata besides the facts that Neji just plain didn't like him.

Neji's eyebrows furrowed and he frowned.

_I don't like this._

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

For the couple of hours Tenten had watched the hideout, she had only seen two more ninja. Two men coming back from what was probably an ambush on some travelers. From their return she learned that the green eyed man's name was 'Miru' and the two returning were 'Suziku' and 'Tachi', but she didn't know who was who.

One of them was a tall lanky man who was somewhat twitchy. He had a black braid of hair down his back and deep set black eyes that stood out on his sickly pale skin. He wore all brown. Brown shirt, brown ninja pants. The only think that stood out was a large mace hanging off of his hip on the right side.

_Neji game me a better one of those on my birthday two years ago._ Tenten smugly thought.

The other man had short, spiky white hair and grey eyes that seems too small for his face. He wore loose fitting, dark green robes. Much like a monk. But the pants were cut roughly off after the man's knees. Showing closed toe ninja footwear that looked out of place with his monk-like clothes. He also had a serious face that held no emotion. It was quite unnerving really. Tenten didn't like any of them.

After nightfall; the green-eyed 'Miru' went into the hideout and the twitchy shinobi that Tenten had seen earlier took his place. By the end of that night the weapons mistress was at least pleased to note that the guards were switched out at evenly spaced time intervals. Patterns were good; she could predict movement when things moved in patterns.

_Man, I'm sooo tired._ Tenten internally complained as she headed to her camp around dawn. It was well hidden by a strong cluster of trees and shrubbery, so Tenten set up a small genjutsu around her small tent in the bushes and went to sleep for the day; content with her work.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Neji walked to his training ground like a man condemned. He didn't like was he was going to tell Naruto. Well, he didn't like any option. But this was best for the long run. He sighed.

_When is Tenten getting back?_ Neji thought, irritated.

"Neji!" He heard, just like yesterday, but today it was Naruto waiting for him. As the Hyuuga reached only the edge of the field Naruto had already jogged up to him. Neji decided to wait for Naruto to speak. The fox boy was bouncing from one foot to the other anxiously; his sky blue eyes wide.

"So, ah, Neji," He stuttered, his eyes darting every which way, only meeting Neji's eyes every couple of seconds, "I, well, did you decide? Ya know, about Hina? Uh, Hinata?" After finishing, it looked as thought Naruto held his breath.

_Wow, I've never seen him so nervous. No, wait, I've never seen him nervous at all._ He smirked.

"Yes, I have decided that…" Neji spoke purposefully slow, just to make Naruto squirm. It was working. "You may date Hinata,"

"YES! YES! OH THANK YOU!" Naruto shouted, a large grin taking over his whole face, leaving room for only his shining blue eyes. His fists were pumped in the air before he wrapped his arms around Neji in a crushing hug. Neji's eyes went wide. He wasn't expecting this.

"Naruto," He spoke threateningly. Naruto pulled back his arms, smile still in place. Neji's eyes were sharp, "If you hurt her, in any way. I will-" Naruto's face turned serious as he cut him off.

"Neji, if I ever hurt her, I would want you to teach me a lesson I'll never forget. I don't care what you have to do." He finished with a slight smile but his eyes were still serious. Neji couldn't help but smirk, knowing he made the right choice. Naruto pursed his lips and looked to the side. "Now I have to talk to Hisashi"

Neji smirked.

"Good luck," Naruto smiled again.

"Thanks, I'm definitely gonna need it," He chuckled, "See ya!" Naruto said before he started to jog off in the direction of the Hyuuga manor.

_That boy has too much energy._

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**


	3. Neji's Mission, Tenten's Problem

**Hey all my readers! I meant to wait longer to add another chapter but I just love you all so much I couldn't wait! XD I went back and fixed the other chapters to that they have an obvious break when the scene changes...It was there before I uploaded them onto FanFiction! I swear! I don't know where they went...So I put them back...THANKS FOR READING!**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**CHAPTER THREE**

It was only her third night there.

_This probably isn't a good idea_. Tenten thought as she pulled a henje over herself. _But it's a perfect chance, so I should take it. _

The guard was a ninja that had just gone on duty an hour ago. So he got off in three hours. While the twitchy ninja had just left and they usually come back in five hours. So she could get in and get out before three hours went by.

The henje was of the twitchy ninja. Tenten ran up from the same direction that he had left. When she was in view of the guard she twitched her hand as best she could and hoped it looked natural…or, as natural as a twitch can look.

_Fall for it. Fall for it. Fall for it._

She slowed down and began to walk to the entrance. She twitched her other hand.

_Two feet…one foot…in!_

Tenten rubbed her sweaty palms against her sides and took in some extra air as she began mapping out a path in her head.

_Stairs that go down, normal. _She ventured farther into the darkness. The walls only had dimly lit torches every couple of meters. After the decent, she reached a hallway that went three directions. As she was choosing her route she listened for any movement.

The walls were damp stone blocks, there was water dripping somewhere as the echo filled the halls. The air was musty and thick in Tenten's throat. She swallowed her jitters of being caught and chose to head right after sending a kage bunshin of her henje back outside to leave.

_Okay, so what I'm looking for are scroll rooms, which are near weapons rooms. And weapon rooms usually have bigger and thicker doors for protection. So if I'm in the right area…then I should see a…well, that._ She grinned, along the corridor she had just reached a door that was twice as wide as the other and had hinges as thick as her wrist.

_Perfect, I even smell the bleach they clean the weapons with! Alright, so now the scroll room should be one of these other doors…time to do some more guessing!_ The young woman walked quietly down the hall farther until she reached another door. She glanced around before cautiously placing her hand on the knob and turning it, which created an irritating high pitched creak. Tenten held her breath as she opened it just enough to stick her head in. She frowned.

_Files. I'll try the next one. _

Repeating the last process a few more times at different doors, she found herself peaking into a large room with a low ceiling. In it was shelves galore, all filled with scrolls. Her heart started racing as she got in and began to scan the scrolls after checking that she was alone.

_No, no, nope, natta, not it, no, negative. This is going to take forever! Good thing I have about two more hours left assuming no one-_

The door to the room gave a shriek as it signaled the entrance of someone impatient.

_Shit!_

Tenten already had her chakra masked, so she got rid of the henje to turn into her smaller self and wedged her body into a corner between the ends of two shelves. She heard someone grumbling and the footsteps became louder as the other person present got closer.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Neji was heading back to the Hyuuga manor after training for the day when a slow drawl of a voice caught his ear.

"Oi, Neji" He turned, not surprised to find that the lazy voice belonged to the lazy ninja. Neji nodded as they approached each other.

"Shikamaru," He spoke directly. Shikamaru rolled back on the balls of his feet and slid his hands in his pockets.

"Tsunade-sama summoned you, probably for a mission. How troublesome, I hope I might get to go…" After he spoke, Neji raised an eyebrow at him. Shikamaru never wanted to do anything. The shadow ninja saw Neji's eyebrow and gave a scowl.

"Temari wants me to help her choose flowers out for our wedding today. But I can really only handle one troublesome woman at a time. Well, I have to go. She'll murder me if I'm late," Shikamaru turned around, "See ya,"

Neji didn't say anything back, by now it would have been too late, it was a one-sided conversation anyway. So he turned and jumped to a roof, continuing to head to the Hokage's office that way.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Go away. Go away. Get out of here. Damn you! Leave!_ Tenten continued to throw mental orders to the man in the room as he continued his rummaging of scrolls. It had already been a good fifteen minutes and Tenten was getting antsy just to kill the guy. He had already passed her once and was much too close to finding her for her liking.

His shoes squeaked as he walked around corners of shelves, it seemed he was also getting restless. The scrolls he didn't want were now getting pushed to the floor instead of just moved out of the way.

"Ah-ha, there you are," Tenten heard a gruff voice mutter. A few more scrolls clattered to the floor before the sound of his squeaking shoes began walking again.

_Good boy. Leave! Scat! And never come back! You're not wanted here!_

When the door slammed shut behind him Tenten sighed in relief and waited a good ten minutes before moving, incase he came back.

She then carefully unfolded herself from the corner and started her search again. The name of the scroll she was after hadn't popped up on any she could see from her hiding place so she moved to the fallen scrolls. It was tedious work, Tenten hated tedious work.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

As Neji ran he thought about the shinobi he had just ran into. Nara Shikamaru. First impressions were proven wrong on him when the boy proved to be an excellent, smart ninja. But he was still lazy, at least in most aspects.

There was one thing, off of the top of his head, that Neji could think of in which Nara wasn't lazy. His wedding. A wedding between two people from different countries is very complicated. There were piles of paperwork, Neji remembered as he jumped to some higher buildings. For days Shikamaru and Temari were holed up in his apartment, but they emerged later with all the papers filled out, ready to head to Suna to do the same thing.

It made Neji wonder. As a Hyuuga, an arranged marriage is likely. If he was given a fiancée could he get out of it? Or would he? It was hard to get up the guts to go against Hisashi sometimes. To reject the ideals of the Hyuuga council would be even worse.

_But do I have anything to fight for? It's not like I have a significant other to go against the council for. I would for her, but she wouldn't want me..._

But the more Neji thought, the more he realized that he had been pushing away feelings that he thought he could ignore forever. To resist a marriage from the elders he would have to have a reason, a woman, to fight for. It was now that he realized he did. Because if he was ever to marry any woman, there was only one who fit the bill. Only one girl he would go against the elders for, it was her. But would he do it? Yes, he decided, he would do it for her. Maybe in a year or two he would be able to.

By the time he reached the Hokage tower he was itching in excitement of the thought of rebelling against the main branch. He took a deep breath to compose himself once more before he entered her office.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Tenten was running short on time. She only had an estimated hour and a half before it was absolutely time to _get out_.

_Come on, come on. Where are you? Oh Kami, I've looked everywhere!_ Tenten huffed annoyance, after it seemed she had searched every shelf, she still could not find the scroll.

She thought back, what if the man who came in earlier had taken _that_ scroll? The one she needed. The chunin shook her head, still searching. She wouldn't, no, couldn't go after him until she was sure it wasn't in here.

Tenten glanced at the shelves, she _knew_ that it wasn't on them. On a whim, she dropped to the floor and began looking under the shelves.

_If it fell earlier, it could have rolled under one of these…oh man…_And there it was, her scroll. The stupid thing had rolled under one of the shelves. Tenten tried but it was too far back for her to reach.

_I need something to extend my arm…I know! I'll use another scroll to knock it out._ So the weapons-lover grabbed another nearby scroll and used it to start knocking the one she needed to the end of the shelf, after that, she could push it against another edge and drag it toward herself. She smiled triumphantly.

"Yes!" She whispered, and slipped the small scroll into one of her side pockets on her pants. She got up from her kneeling position, "Time to get out of this smelly place," Tenten muttered under her breath.

She put her ear to the door, listening for anyone on the other side before slowly turning the knob and slinking out into the hallway. Retracing her steps, Tenten got back to the entrance of the hideout in no time.

_One hour left, I was cutting it close. _

She froze at her exit to the outdoors to hear which side the guard was on. After hearing a shifting of feet to her right she cast a henje. This time taking the form of a different rogue ninja, one that she hoped hadn't left on an outing while she was exploring the underground.

Taking a breath, she pulled up to the henje's full height and walked out into the open with purpose. She tried to usher up some of egotistical man-pride males are always oozing with. When Tenten passed the watchdog, she turned her head and nodded briefly. Pulling her best no-emotion face; this was difficult in such stress.

Walking a few more steps for good measure, Tenten then gathered chakra to her feet and took off.

_Perfect!_ The kunoichi internally patted herself on the back as she went farther into the woods. After a mile or so, she dropped the henje and halted on a branch.

Smiling, she fingered the scroll that was resting safely in her pocket. But her joy was short lived when a kunai flew past her head. Whipping around, she pulled out her own kunai and found that the twitchy rogue was staring her down.

"I found your camp" He smirked, "I knew you would be around here somewhere," His left eye twitched, giving him a maniacal look. Tenten scowled as they stood off.

_This is bad. I need to get back now. But I can't have him reporting me, I have to kill him. But the watchdog might notice if we start fighting, our chakra would be much more noticeable…I'll run. Once I'm far enough away from the guard we can fight without anyone else knowing. _

Tenten jumped backwards into the trees behind her, a common beginning to a shinobi fight. When out of sight, she immediately made a copy of herself and had it make some small noises in a different area. She made a head start getting a bit through the trees before dispersing the copy. With it gone, He would notice she was gone and follow her tracks.

After another minute or two she heard him catching up. The tell tale sound of the thud of sandals on wood told her which direction so Tenten turned and threw some shuriken at him as she stopped on a sturdy branch.

Crouched, hand on her large scroll, Tenten waited. At the whistle of a kunai she instinctively caught it and sent it back where it came from. But before she could listen for a landing she sensed her opponent behind her.

Tenten summoned a short sword and swung it around as she ducked from the fist of the shinobi. He darted back enough to not get sliced and kicked a leg around, attempting to trip her. She brought the sword down, nicking his calf and with her other hand, summoned three senbon. She released them as he saw it and put his forearms to protect himself, as he had stumbled from the cut on his leg. Then senbon hit.

**POOF**

_A replacement…wait…_Tenten sensed the change in the air…_Damn…he got backup._

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**I'm really excited for the next chapter...lots of action and Neji showing emotion...which is really difficult to write...Well...I love you! Thanks for reading! The next chapter will probably show up within a week, probably really soon because I have no patience...**

**-Nexa**


	4. Overwhelmed

**I am so proud of myself! I made it a whole night before publishing again...I can't help it :(. I really like this chapter, I think it's very intense. Thank you to all my reviewers! Yuffie's Ninja Insanity, SasuSakuisforalways, Fake Bliss, and Very Happy Randomness Fairy! I love you all! Well...Here is the next chapter!**

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**CHAPTER FOUR**

Neji glided into the Hokage's office with his usual air of importance. Tsunade looked up from her desk. He heard her slide her sake drawer shut.

"Neji, have a seat," She motioned with her hand as she spoke with a monotone voice. Neji did as he was told, Tsunade leaned forward and adverted her eyes a bit. "You're not going to like this…"

Neji froze.

_Tenten? Did she get hurt on her mission?_

Tsunade somehow sensed his raising heart rate and continued quickly.

"This mission I have for you is much lower than your best capabilities" She paused, letting him change his course of thought.

"Lower?" He repeated back. The Hokage nodded.

"A _very_ rich lord_ demanded _to have one of our higher ranked shinobi take this mission. It pays handsomely though,"

"Why me?" Neji was confused, if this was just a high-paying easy mission. Why give it to someone who had money? The Hyuuga are rich, it's obvious that Neji is never short on cash.

"Well, it has to be a Hyuuga. And you're one of the high ranking Hyuugas, but the only one available for a mission," She finished, eyeing the Hyuuga for an opinion.

Neji thought about it. This was a stupid mission. It was beneath him. And Neji hated doing busywork. This mission had "Not Neji Material" written all over. However…He knew someone who had a birthday coming up…

_If this mission pays as well as Tsunade-sama makes it sound. Perhaps I could surprise Tenten with an early birthday present before she gets back. She really does need some new furniture; it was bad to begin with years ago when she purchased it. _Neji closed his eyes briefly and nodded.

"Very well, I will take the mission," Tsunade smiled, "What are the details?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Tenten Panted as she hid for a moment behind a tree to catch her breath. She had already dispatched three rogues that were being slow. She guessed that they had been drinking when they were called to go after her. After that she had counted maybe a dozen more.

**THUNK**

_Breaks over, they found me_

Tenten jumped up and made a clone, having it throw a few weapons from one direction. She then landed a couple of yards away and threw some senbon at her enemies. One came out from the bushes with a katana in hand. His face was scowling something fierce. Tenten blocked a swing with her left hand as she summoned a metal chain with a scythe on the end with her right. She then immediately threw her kunai at a shinobi who had intended to sneak up on her.

With another clash, she stopped the katana's upward slice with the chain in between her hands. Using that to hold it away, she attempted to throw her leg out for a kick at his chest; her opponent caught her ankle in a tight grip. Tenten jumped with her other foot and shoved it up at him. She heard a crack and she felt her sandal crush his trachea. Using that, Tenten quickly propelled herself away from the ninja and ran into three more.

She swung the blade on the end of her chain at the two in front of her. They leaped back, each in a different direction. But because she was watching them, Tenten didn't see the third one come up to her side until the last moment.

"Ah!" Tenten gasped as she wasn't fast enough to dodge a dagger, earning her a large gash on the left side of her torso. She retaliated by grabbing and throwing some shuriken at him. She didn't see if they hit though, the two shinobi that were heading toward her were at it again.

Keeping an eye out behind her, Tenten summoned a light metal pole after chucking her chain at a fourth ninja that had come down at her from a tree.

Twisting, spinning, twirling, Tenten danced around the two shinobi she was fighting. She had landed a few blows, but also gained a good amount of scratches. Of course, she wasn't a weapons mistress for nothing. Dropping a kunai, making it look like an accident distracted one of them long enough for her to jab him hard in the chest, following up with a hit to the head. While he was falling to the ground Tenten turned, stepping on one end of the kunai she dropped. It flew up into the air while she was exchanging hits with the other of the two fighting. Then, in one swift motion, she caught the circle of the kunai's handle on the end of her pole and expertly flung it at the ninja.

Tenten didn't blink an eye as he was falling with a kunai in his head because multiple more enemies were coming.

_This isn't looking good. I can't spare chakra because I'll need enough to either run away or for the emergency scroll. And I can't get many more injuries either._

While she was continuing to fight more ninjas that had come, the more there were the more gashes she got. So far there were only two to really worry about; the one on her side and one on the back of her leg.

_Damn!_ She cursed internally as she pulled out a double headed ax to slice off the head of a ninja from a bush. A very recent stab to the arm was going to shorten this battle considerably.

A ninja built like a boulder came to join in the fun and Tenten sent out a few decoys of herself like she had been to keep more ninjas at bay.

The boulder ninja lumbered closer and Tenten threw a few kunai, making it look like she just missed by coincidence. She smirked.

**BOOM!**

She had attached exploding tags to a few of the kunai and she hoped that it slowed him down, if not got him killed.

Tenten jumped into the branches of a tree nearby.

_That was pretty loud, the others should be here soon and then I'll take care of them and be on my way-ow! What the hell?_ Tenten twisted her head around looking for the source of pain her adrenaline had hid, finding it in the shrapnel of a tree now imbedded in her thigh.

_Bad! Bad bad bad bad! Damnit!_ Tenten made a grim face as she pulled out the shrapnel with a yank; wrapping a crude bandage around her injury. She didn't have time to see to any of her others because a ninja landed next to her on the branch too fast for her to notice and had punched her in the side of her head.

_This is a terrible mix._ Tenten decided after landing on her feet, the throbbing in her head and leg competing with who could hurt more.

Things got worse when she counted the number of chakra sources heading close. She guessed that she had killed her puncher out of instinct, evidence being the bloody sai in her hand. But the soaking red bandages were her first concern.

_Damnit…_Tenten thought as she started to loose focus from the blood loss. Getting to her knees she pulled the emergency and stolen scroll from her pockets. _I can't believe it has to come to this…_

Her fingers did the work that her pride told her not to as she prepared to send the scroll. But before she could she realized how it looked.

The small cuts and putting pressure on her bleeding wound had caused Tenten to leave some bloody handprints and splotches dotting the scroll.

_She's going to think I'm dead…But I'm not dead…_With her survival instincts kicking in as she felt the chakras getting closer, Tenten wiped her finger on some blood on her skin, using it as ink, and left a message.

The chakras were right upon her. She sent it. Watching it whisked away into thin air before she was knocked out by a blow to the head.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Tsunade had just finished giving Neji the details about his mission at the lords house when the door to her office burst open revealing a frantic Shizune.

"Tsunade-sama! We have a problem!" She cried as she ran behind the Hokage's desk and slammed an open scroll on the desk. Neji watched the blonde's expression because the stacks of papers blocked the view of the scroll.

"Oh my…" Tsunade breathed, her lips growing tight and her brows knitting together. Shizune spoke again.

"We must have underestimated how many would be there when we sent her," Her eyes danced nervously.

Tsunade looked up at her assistant.

"Did you test the blood?"

_Blood? Whose blood?_ Neji wished they would say more. Although they did seem to forget he was there.

"Most of the blood was hers, but there were traces of multiple others," Was the professional answer.

"This was supposed to take her a week or so, do you think…" Neji didn't hear the rest of the theory. Only a few things suddenly flew through his mind.

_"I'll see you after my mission, so, in a week or two…" _

_ "I got my first solo mission!"_

Tenten's voice filled his thoughts, then others'

_"…Supposed to take her a week or so…"_

_ "…Underestimated how many…"_

_ "The blood was hers…"_

Neji was forced back into reality as he choked out his fears.

"T-Ten-ten…" He said brokenly. The two pairs of eyes in front of him immediately moved their focus to Neji's pleading eyes, "Please tell me…you aren't talking, about Tenten," He leaned forward in anticipation. Shizune looked to Tsunade and looked down. "Well?" The Hyuuga was loosing his patience. The Hokage sighed and locked her gaze with his.

"Yes…" She spoke carefully, "We are talking about Tenten…"

Neji felt his heart stop. He couldn't breath. He couldn't focus his eyes on anything. A lump formed in his throat that he couldn't swallow.

"Is she…"

"No. She isn't dead," Tsunade got her composure back and continued, "I sent her on a retrieval mission for a scroll in one of Orochimaru's old bases. I warned her that they are usually inhabited by rogues and gave her a small transportation scroll in case of emergencies," Tsunade paused, letting Neji soak all of this in.

Neji had got himself mostly back in control when he heard she wasn't dead. But the lump in this throat was still there. He nodded for her to continue.

"It appears that there were many more rogues than we anticipated. Tenten sent the scroll she retrieved but her blood is all over the emergency scroll," She took a breath, "She also wrote something…with her blood," Tsunade looked down to read off of the evidence, "'Not dead. Too many. Help'"

A silence filled the office. Neji soon got impatient again. Tenten needed help, she could be bleeding out somewhere, and he needed to get to her!

"Where is she?" He held back his voice, trying not to let loose his anger. Tsunade pulled out a map and pointed it out.

"Here. Now, she is either going to be killed, interrogated, or…used. Either way, they are probably holding her now in the base. Your new mission, Hyuuga Neji, is to collect Rock Lee and Maito Gai and retrieve Tenten. You leave as soon as possible. Understand?" Neji didn't have to be told twice.

Tsunade didn't complain when the shinobi left with only a curt nod, rushing out to find his teammates. She reached for her sake.

"At least it was him," She told Shizune, who had taken a seat nearby, "I usually don't send shinobi on missions that their personally connected to…but when it comes to love," She gave a small smile, "Well, that's only a great motivator"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**OH NO! Tenten got caught! Neji freaks! What happens next? You will probably find out within two days or less because I'm update-happy...**

**-Nexa**


	5. Miru

**Hello! Its me again! The author with absolutely no patience! I love you all! If someone could review again, that would be great, because then I would have TEN! OMG! And I would be so happy :). And maybe when I found that I have ten reviews I just might add another chapter...soo...NO PRESSURE! ENJOY!**

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**CHAPTER FIVE**

It was the smell that probably woke her up. The air was so thick that Tenten didn't even think it _was_ air. Only stench.

She didn't open her eyes at first, wanted to get a sense of how she was feeling and her position first. Dull pain throbbed in all the places she remembered getting injuries. Her arms were being held at an angle, higher than her head, but to the side. There was only some room to bend them before her limited movement access halted her. Her feet and legs were sprawled to each side of her. There were stiff and didn't want to move. Her hanging knees couldn't reach the floor so she opened her eyes, intending to stand up.

The room, or cell (as she guessed) looked, like it smelled. It was small, maybe six or seven feet wide, and it was a square.

Tenten couldn't see much, the only light came from a thin string of yellow under the door across from her. Testing the weariness of her legs, she cautiously shifted her feet and stood up. Gritting her teeth in pain from the cuts now filled with dirt that were becoming agitated.

Now standing, the kunoichi tested the strength of the chains she found were around her wrists; pinning her to the damp wall. Standing up, the chains gave more leeway and were straight out instead of above her. She fisted her hands and jerked her arms inward. The sharp pain in her wrists and the loud clatter of rusty metal was the only result.

Shifting her weight from one foot to another, Tenten found another discovery. Her ankles were also chained to the floor like her hands to the wall. She hadn't noticed because it gave much more leniency to her feet than her hands. But this still put a damper in some possible plans.

_Damn, now I can't kick anyone that comes in here. And I can already feel that all my weapons and scrolls are gone. These chains are too strong while I'm still all worn out. Maybe in a few days I could break out of them…_

A creak of metal broke her thoughts.

_Someone is coming in…_

While the handle was pulled slowly, the door was the opposite.

**SLAM!**

It was pushed with such force that it made the heavy metal door bounce off the wall. The light poured in. It was dim, but still enough for Tenten to need to look away.

"Well, well, well," A man drawled out, "What do we have here?" As he stepped in and closed the door behind him, Tenten recognized him immediately.

_It's that guard, Miru. _The gravity of the situation suddenly poured into Tenten like ice water. _DAMNNIT! I was too weak! I'm captured! Captured! And all I can do is sit here and wait to be rescued! _Her chest flooded with red hot anger at herself, at how pathetic this was. Disappointment and embarrassment overwhelmed her mind until the heavy footfalls of her visitor reminded her to hold it together.

"Now what's a pretty little kunoichi doin' sneaking around here, eh?" The green eyed man asked. He was standing right in front of her now. But she wouldn't look at him the eyes. She looked straight ahead; showing no emotion. He bent down to her level.

"I see you're from Konoha, what's its business here?" He asked another question, more forcefully.

_Just get your head a __**little**__ closer…_Tenten thought. She saw the man frown in her side vision, and then he leaned forward to whisper in her ear.

"If you don't talk kunoichi, I'll just make you sing instead…"

_Perfect…_Tenten smirked.

**WHAM!**

"Fuck!" The man shouted. Tenten had head butted him with all the strength she had.

_I'm gonna pay for that, I know. But it was so worth it. _ She thought, internally proud.

"Ughn!" Tenten tried not to make a noise as she was punched in her torso. The man growled.

_...Ow…_

"Kunoichi…" He spoke slowly, cautiously, "What business do you have here?"

Tenten didn't answer.

**CRACK**

She swore she could _feel_ her brain rattling around in her head when he punched her cheek. Her head rebounding off the wall behind her.

"Let's try a simpler question. How about your name?"

Tenten stayed silent. She could see his sick smile out of the corner of her eye.

"No name? Not even a first name?" He asked, seemingly amused.

_Don't say anything. Nothing. Keep mute. _

As much as Tenten wanted to toss curse words at him, she knew she shouldn't. She couldn't allow herself to give him any fuel to keep the fire going. Witty comebacks couldn't get her out of this.

_Konoha is about 3 days from here, maybe 2 if they hurry. I sent the scroll before I passed out. So someone is probably already on their way. So-_ Tenten didn't finish that thought. A much too familiar sound had caught her ears.

Metal.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Let's go," Neji spoke. Much harsher than his usual tone, but unlike usual, there were no complaints.

Finding Lee and Gai were no problem. Tenten had told him once or twice how they are always there. It was controlling his temper that became difficult.

** FLASHBACK!**

As Neji rushed to find his teammates at their dojo it dawned on him that this was the first time he was _hurrying_ to see them. He shook off the feeling of doom and then used thoughts of Tenten to push his feet forward.

Tenten, at first he thought she would be a nuisance. A girl on their team could only worry about their looks. Be un-useful. He knew her from the academy; a girl who couldn't miss, and cocky about it.

But when on a team with the Lee and Gai, she was the one to turn to, and she was much more than he had expected. Always bright, smiling, optimistic; he thought he would have to watch out for her all the time. It turned out that she ended up saving his skin on numerous occasions. She respected him and so he respected her; learning about each others ways and weaknesses. They became the perfect team, as shinobi and as friends.

He wouldn't let her down.

But first he had to get the rest of the team.

The actual address of the dojo wasn't needed, Neji found, as the two's shouts could be heard quite far away.

Bursting through the doors, gracefully, Neji found Lee doing pushups using one finger with Gai sitting on his back comfortably. Both jumped up excitedly at the visit of the Hyuuga.

"Neji! My eternal rival! What brings you to our dojo of YOUTH?" Lee shouted, "Perhaps you have come to challenge me?" Tears of joy filled Lee's eyes. Gai laughed heartily and took his 'Good Guy' pose.

"We have a mission, we must leave immediately," The tone in his voice was final, his face grave. Extroverted as they are, the Green Beasts caught on that something was _very_ wrong. Neji turned sideways, signifying that 'immediately' meant 'IMMEDIATELY'.

"What is this mission, my youthful student?" Gai spoke, seriously but still with enthusiasm. Neji tensed.

"A rescue mission, Lets _go_," He emphasized. Gai pressed on.

"Who, or what, are we rescuing?" Gai asked in the same tone. Neji looked away. Lee, who had been silent, walked up to Neji and waited for an answer. The Jounin's white eyes caught Lee's round ones.

"Tenten," Was all he said.

But it was all he needed to say.

**END FLASHBACK**

Team Gai minus one dashed through the trees toward their teammate. For once, it was relatively quiet. The only noises so far had been Lee's soft questioning about Tenten's predicament. When the Gai-clone had been satisfied with Neji's short answers, no one spoke.

Neji had been appointed in charge of the mission. It hadn't been stated, no one would admit it, but no one would have denied it. Neji lead the way, and he set the pace. No one complained. They all only had one thought on their mind.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Gah!" Tenten sounded out as the blade of the kunai once again connected with her skin.

So far, she had some cuts on her upper arms and a stab wound in her left shoulder. Although she really wouldn't call it a 'stab', more like, 'a kunai tip slowly burrowing its way under her skin'. It hurt like hell.

"So, no name yet? You're quite the stubborn one…" Her torturer dropped off as he brought the weapon up to her neck.

_This is bad! I can't die here! I am not pathetic! I am Tenten!_ The pep talk continued as the metal found its place at the edge of her jaw. Tenten unconsciously tightened her muscles in preparation.

He pressed. A shallow slice to begin with, but he pressed a tiny bit harder as he drew the kunai down her neck all the way to her collarbone. Tenten hissed in pain and sweat accumulated on her forehead.

_That…was…way too close to my artery!_ Tenten blinked, and then blinked some more trying to get the sweat running down her brow out of her eyes. The man chuckled, pulling out a short katana from one of his many pockets.

"This one's sharper," He explained. Tenten grit her teeth.

"Ahh!" She let out a short scream, the blade was now held in place by her, not the shinobi's hand. She bit her lip; it was protruding from her thigh.

Tenten had already had a gash there from shrapnel. She held completely still, trying not to jiggle it. Too bad he noticed.

"You look awfully stiff there kunoichi. Maybe I pinned you to the wall, huh?" He mocked, "Lem'me help you out there…"

"Nhngnn!" Tenten held back her cries, tears welled up in her eyes but she refused to let them fall. Miru had clasped the handle and was jerking it in different directions. Her leg screamed at her to make it stop.

Tenten tasted metal in her mouth as she realized she was still biting down on her lip. Then, with a hard yank, the blade was gone from her leg.

"Well, I have to go now kunoichi; need to clean your blood off my stuff. You think about that name," He chuckled as he slammed the door shut.

Then it was silent.

Tenten decided that she hated silence. Because when it was silent, she could hear the whimpers and the chains rattling from her trembling arms.

_It hurts. It burns. Its cold; its freezing actually. Pain has never felt like that before. _ When she felt her eyes well up Tenten vigorously shook her head; willing the tears away.

_I can't be like this. I won't lose it. Just a few days at most. Someone will be here in a few days. _She reassured herself. _Until then, I can work on getting out of here myself!_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Hey! Just letting you know...if you find any typos that word didn't catch, let me know. Because I don't want them there. And if you tell me then I can fix them! :D**

**-Nexa**


	6. Thats not all I can do

**I HAVE TWELVE REVIEWS! OOOOOMMMMMMMGGGGGAWWWD! XD **

**Warning! This chapter has more blood than the others! It doesn't bother me (No duh! I wrote it) BUT I'm putting this here for anyone else who really hates blood. Just in case. It's because I love you! Enjoy!**

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**CHAPTER SIX**

"Neji, as youthful as this is, it _is_ necessary that we stop to rest," Gai said as the team was still running into the night. Neji scowled at this idea.

"It is not unusual for shinobi to travel at night. What is the issue?" He countered. This time Lee spoke up.

"Youthful Neji, I agree that we must make haste to save our youthful flower. But we cannot go the whole way without resting. We cannot push our youthful selves too much!" Lee concluded his 'youthful' speech.

Neji grunted, but stopped on a branch. Gai grinned.

"Yosh! We stop here for the night then! Lee! Find firewood! Neji! Set the tents! I, the ever youthful Gai, will get food!" And he took off.

…

The sporadic crackling of twigs in the fire was the only noise in their camp. Neji had set up the tents broodingly and quietly. He also stayed that way. The anger under his skin was evident.

Lee had put on a fake smile and done his job as he usually dose, but now, with no one watching each other, he was once again silent.

Gai put up the best act of them all; he kept up his usual quotes on youth and only fell silent once he had fallen asleep.

Lee turned to his eternal rival, his face somber.

"Neji?" He voiced, the enthusiasm gone. There was no need for façade now.

"Huh?" The Hyuuga sounded back, signifying that he was listening. Lee shifted uncomfortably.

"Do you think…Do you think she will be alright?" His voice was the quietest Neji had ever heard it. Neji continued to stare at the embers.

"In what way?" He responded.

"Well…mentally. I've heard about some of the stories of torture victims…" His voice trailed off, his eyes wider than usual.

"In that way…" Neji paused, considering the question. "Nothing would be permanent. Ten is strong. Both inside and out," The words he spoke, he only half believed. The terrors of what they might find were too great to hold their thoughts of their Tenten in order. Had this not been happening, he would have believed himself entirely.

"But…" Lee spoke again, "What if they-"

"They won't. She wouldn't let them,"

The response was quick and short, enough to satisfy Lee's worst fears in the ways of torturing kunoichi. Neji left out how he knew what he said for a fact.

That it was because she had told him herself.

**FLASHBACK**

Two teammates sat in the middle of a crater in their training field. Enjoying the weather and chatting. It was a good day; Tenten had recently become a chunin.

"So how were those classes?" Neji asked.

"The new kunoichi ones I have to take now?" Tenten clarified, "Well…they were informative. To say the least," She stopped there. Neji pressed on, now curious.

"How so?"

"The taught us about seduction techniques, where to _hide_ weapons, the dangers of being a higher level kunoichi," Tenten paused. Neji wished he hadn't asked, "They told us all about rape," Her voice was small.

Neji didn't like talking about his, thinking about the possibility of Tenten on a seduction mission was bad enough, but being in _that_ kind of danger. He loathed the thought of it. Tenten seemed to be on the same level.

"The stories were terrible. They even had a retired kunoichi come in and tell us about _her experience_," she paused again, recalling the story, before turning her head to meet her best friends pearl eyes, "I swear Neji, I'll kill myself before I'd _ever_ let that happen to me,"

The topic was a bad one, the images and fears that came with it were worse. So the jounin attempted to ease both of their fears. Meeting her gaze once more, he spoke strongly.

"Tenten, _I _promise. Nothing will ever come to that,"

Their words were young; they didn't have much bite to their bark. Too many ifs got in the way. But the concept between the two best friends, the easing of the fears, was genuine. But they never spoke of it again.

**END FLASHBACK**

Neji had thought her reasoning was rational, reasonable at first. He never liked it, but he thought he understood.

He didn't understand now. The more he thought about it the more it rang in his head. Rape was terrible, horrifying. But death was so much worse; there was no chance to heal after death. Both thoughts sickened him, but he would still rather have a scarred, terrified Tenten he could help, than a dead Tenten. _Anything_ seemed better than a dead Tenten.

Settling into his sleeping bag like Lee had done a little while ago, Neji felt a strong fatigue wash over him. Probably from the stress and worry. Hoping for a dreamless sleep, Neji closed his eyes.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Tenten had been working for she didn't even _know_ how long, but had finally noticed something through her exhausted haze.

When experimentally moving her wounded…or…more wounded leg, she noticed that blood had been traveling down her leg into her sandal. Now, the chains on her feet were around her sandals, so if she could get her feet out of her sandals, she could get them out of the chains.

_The blood made this foot so much easier to move in my shoe. I should have thought of that before…_Disappointed, but keeping her optimism up, Tenten thought of how else she could get her foot out without using blood, because that was already limited, and messy. It came to her pretty fast.

_Spit! I can spit as accurate as I can throw! It will take time with my dry throat but this should work._ Letting a tired smile out, Tenten gathered up some saliva and let it fly to her ankle. It hit right on target.

_Perfect. This is great! Forget the pain, I can't wait to tell all my old academy teachers how my accurate spitting finally came to use!_

The excitement may have been excessive, but at least it was something to be happy about.

Continuing to work on spitting on her ankles, Tenten also had plenty of time to think about other things.

_I wonder who was sent. If Neji heard about this then he would come, wouldn't he? _ Tenten thought about it, but was disgusted with the idea of him being a knight in shining armor.

_I can't let him see me like this. I can't let him see me all weak._ Thinking some more about him, her fantasies got out of control.

_Then again, it would be nice to see him all concerned about me. Teammates can be worried, but it would cool if he ran through he on a rampage after me. _Tenten laughed out loud at her daydreams. Then stopped, she sounded like a maniac laughing in her cell.

She was going to think up more interesting scenarios but fatigue was taking over. She hadn't been given any food or water yet, only a beating. But she didn't want to fall asleep, be unaware. Her body thought differently and soon she drifted off to sleep without even realizing it.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

At the speed they'd been going, Neji ventured that they would reach Tenten tonight. Pleased with this thought, he sped up.

"Neji! Neji!" Gai called from behind, "We are already going over the usual pace for an emergency. We mustn't go any faster or we might deplete our youth too much by the time we reach our youthful flower!"

Neji slowed down a bit, a bit. As much as he hated it when Gai was correct; he was correct. It wouldn't do Tenten any good if they got there and couldn't help. But his nerves still got the best of him.

_She is never going to leave my sight again. I'll do it, I've ignored my feelings long enough but I swear now I'll do it. I'll talk to Hisashi and make her my wife. Then no one can send her on missions without me…She is going to hate me for that…_

Neji mused that when it would come to telling her that he didn't want her ever going on a mission alone again she wouldn't take it well.

To occupy his mind with things other than the wrath of Tenten and Tenten as a prisoner, Neji thought of what he could say to Hisashi.

_Should I be polite? Or forceful? I could demand permission, or maybe, I could get Hinata to talk to him first. No, she can be for if he says no. _Neji then realized he was leaving something out of the equation. _What if she doesn't want me? _

A smart as he was, Neji didn't know whether Tenten loved him or not. He knew that she loved him as a friend, but more? He couldn't tell.

However before the conflicted Hyuuga could think over things further, it stormed over and began to rain in torrents.

"Gai-sensei! I cannot see anything in this unyouthful rain!" Lee cried out, distraught. The team stopped and got together.

"Neji, can your Byakugan see through this hazardous rain?" Their sensei asked. Neji tested this theory.

"Not well, my vision is severely limited from it usual range and clarity," He responded.

"Then we have no choice. I'm afraid we must stop here until the storm lightens up," Gai spoke sadly. Neji felt himself fill with anger.

"But we're so close! I _need_ to get to Tenten!" The outburst what so out of character that both Lee and Gai were speechless.

"I…I'm sorry Neji," was all Gai said before he went to find some source of shelter. Lee turned to his teammate.

"Don't worry," He said cautiously, "She's strong, remember? She can wait just a little longer," Lee's voice was filled with such sadness that Neji couldn't bring his anger and need to vent, to overpower his own sadness that he was hiding.

"I'm worried about her," Neji confessed, "I need to see that she is okay," Lee put his hand gently on Neji's shoulder.

Neither said anything.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

** CREAK**

Tenten woke with a start to the metal hinges wailing.

"Well hello there kunoichi," Miru, her torturer, spoke, "You feeling chattier today?" His eyes were dark. Tenten bit her tongue from making crude remarks and forced her face into the same distant, harsh stare.

"I see…even though I brought you a little peace offering?" Her throat went dry. The obvious sound of sloshing water had not escaped her ears when he had arrived.

_Just a little longer…then I can get my feet out and get free…_She thought positively to herself.

Miru cracked his knuckles and laughed before throwing a hard punch to a deep would in her shoulder he had giver her the other day. This time Tenten had clenched her teeth and made no noise. A backhanded fist to her jaw shot her head to the wall.

Tenten felt her mouth fill with blood so she swallowed, suddenly becoming alarmed when she felt something solid go down her throat. Her tongue explored her mouth. Miru was getting ready for another throw.

_Oh Kami! I'm missing a tooth! My bicuspid! Oh man! It's gone! My tooth!_ The young woman was utterly shocked. Then distraught, then devastated. Sakura could get rid of most of her scars, and bruises would heal over time. But Tenten couldn't grow back another tooth. And for this, she was pissed.

_I'm going to kill this bastard!_ Her anger gave her the resolve to get through the next round of punches without a sound. She was going to have some large bruises on her stomach and ribs after that round. But she handled it silently.

It was when he took his nasty boot he was wearing and sandwiched her stabbed thigh between it and the wall that Tenten made a noise. A gasp barely escaped her lips when the slam of his foot crushed her still closing wound. But it was enough.

"What was that kunoichi? A name maybe?' The man whispered. Tenten internally cursed him.

He twisted his foot still applying pressure.

_Why can't he leave my damn leg alone!_ Her venting on the inside kept her from screaming on the outside. But her leg hurt like hell and she felt her throat get a lump from holding back a sob. It was then that she noticed something.

Her leg was bleeding something fierce.

Not a surprise.

The blood was running down her leg.

Shouldn't be a surprise.

She could get her foot free.

Genuine, surprise.

Keeping up the façade of hidden pain (Which WAS NOT really a façade, so not difficult), she moved her other leg over to touch the bleeding one.

As gross as this somewhat was, it was effective at getting her other foot free.

And for the first time, Tenten looked her tormentor straight in the eyes.

"Hey, Bastard," She grit out between her teeth. He smirked, releasing her leg.

"Oh, looky there! She can speak!" He faked surprise. Tenten gave a half smile.

"That's not all I can do," She said before lifting herself up with her wrists' chains, getting her feet free and kicking outward. Miru flew back from the impact on his chest, slamming his head into the wall with a satisfying crack.

Stabilizing herself on her feet again, the kunoichi was then faced with getting her hands free. Luckily this was not too terribly difficult. In using all her strength pulling up, the chains had ripped skin open in her left palm.

Using the blood tactic once more, her left hand got free, which she then used to free her right.

Tenten stepped away from the wall. It was a strange feeling, walking. She fell, her legs were weak. With a smile, Tenten pulled her knees and arms to her chest; enjoying feeling safe; feeling her arms and legs close again. Gently hugging herself, she swelled with pride at her accomplishment.

She then began to find all of her wounds, this took awhile. The chunin ripped off her old sleeves, they were useless. Tattered and bloody. Then she made her way to Miru's body to rummage through all of his many pockets.

_Let's see what I can get from this jerk._ She thought about the dead shinobi on the stone floor. But before she searched him for useful things, something else caught her eye.

Water.

She was so thirsty. Following her knowledge, Tenten grasped the pitcher but forced herself to take sips instead of gulps. However it didn't matter how slow she _meant_ to drink it. It was gone too soon for her liking.

"I feel much better," Tenten ventured a whisper in the dark cell.

Moving back over to the now-corpse, she searched his many pockets and bandaged herself as best she could, equipped herself with his weapons, and took a couple of soldier pills.

Now, with her energy and arsenal replenished, Tenten took a deep breath, retied her now sloppy buns, and stepped into the hallway.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Too much blood? It could have been worse, really. If you have been scarred from this and were greatly disturbed and want this to be changed to a Mature rating, please tell me (And give me your age for reference) because I'm willing to listen. (It's all because I love you, remember?)**

** -Nexa**


	7. Hold on a little longer

**I like this chapter alot, I hope you'll like it too, tell me what you think okay? Okay. Thats a deal! You can't back out! Heheh. Read it already...and ENJOY!**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

They were so close. The rain had stopped not too long after they did and the team didn't waste any time on getting back on route.

"Neji, we should be only a few miles away, can you see it?" Gai asked. Neji used his Byakugan and saw a set of tunnels in a mountain coming up ahead.

"Aa," He nodded, trying to push his emotions down.

"What will be our youthful plan?" Lee spoke up. Before Gai launched into a speech on their brave and daring rescue plan, Neji suggested something simpler.

"We go in, find her, get out," The silence that followed was the agreement. The tension in the air was stiff.

Neji was filling with anxiety and anticipation. He wanted to find Tenten, see her, and make sure she was okay. But his worries of how he might find her were strong as well. The Hyuuga felt as though his chest might explode from the pressure of his emotions.

It only got worse when they reached a crack in a cliff and killed the guard before he even saw them coming. The entrance. Neji surveyed the area with his Byakugan, noticing something strange.

"No one is there," He said, Gai and Lee who were standing nearby made faces of great confusion.

"I heard that Orochimaru found a very rare substance that could block Byakugan sight. Maybe look for something you cannot see into," Gai intuitively suggested. Neji searched again.

"I do see a couple of spots like that," Neji said, "One looks like the prisoner cells," His voice was tight. Lee said nothing but his face portrayed that he was just as nervous as Neji was.

"Let's go to the cells then," Gai stated. And within a moment, the team had rushed into the base.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

She wanted to run but she couldn't waste energy. Tenten had about 5 kunais, 13 shuriken, a short bladed katana, and a dagger. Not as much as she usually had but she wouldn't complain. Plus, she got more weapons with every person she killed and searched.

Emotions were overwhelming her. Anxiety, adrenaline, fear, desperation. She unconsciously flicked her tongue around the strange new hole in her mouth. Courtesy of her swallowed tooth.

A man turned the corner into her hallway, the kunai in her hand wasted no time imbedding itself in his head. Tenten retrieved her weapon and continued on at a fast pace.

_Can't waste time, can't waste energy, and can't get caught. I'm leaving this fucking place and no one is going to get in my way. _

She smirked, so far so good. The two ninjas that she ran into two turns ago were lying in a pool of their own blood. Tenten figured if she could kill as many as she could while wandering, eventually she could get them all and find a way out.

It wasn't the most thought out plan, but Tenten wasn't in the mood.

"Hah!" A shinobi yelled as he came at her, sword in hand. Tenten pulled out her dagger and stood at the ready.

A slice, parry, upwards twist, horizontal, kick from below. Tenten jumped and managed to throw the dagger into her enemy's chest while in the air, he was dead soon after.

"Ah!" Tenten let out a sound of pain, movement had opened up a stabbing gash on the backside of her calf. She grit her teeth, took his sword, and kept walking.

_That was my fourth, five counting that bastard in my cell. This isn't over yet._ Tenten rounded another corner and heard the faint sounds of…well…men. _I must be near the food hall or something_. She headed toward the noise, and then stopped.

_This is a stupid idea. I found them, why go toward them? _But Tenten was hungry, thirsty, tired, and her reasoning was off. _I can sneak up on them. I'll kill them all while I have the advantage. _It sounded alright in her tired mind, so she went once more toward the sound of the shinobi.

A few hallways later, she could see the gap were there was not a hallway, but more of a cafeteria. Light spilled from the room and the smells of food enticed her.

She hated what she was about to do, survival told her not to, her stomach told her not to, but she did it anyway. Picking up some bomb tags she got from one of the now deceased shinobi she ran into, she threw them into the warm room with about 5 tables, 15 men, and soon to be ruined food.

The kunais they were attached to hit the walls in different places, the rogues didn't have time to react.

**BOOM!**

Pulling out the short and long sword, one in each hand; Tenten didn't hesitate to run into the chaos and start her battle.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"We haven't come upon any shinobi, why is that?" Lee questioned as team Gai minus Tenten were rushing through the corridors of Orochimaru's old base.

Neji was leading; heading them to what they assumed were the dungeons.

_Hold on a little longer..._ Neji thought desperately.

"I'm not sure Lee, but keep your youth up and stay alert," Gai advised Lee.

"Yosh!" Lee…agreed.

"Its right around here," Neji lowered his voice as they approached a smaller tunnel. Weapons in hand, the team barged into the new hallway to find…

No one.

They weren't expecting this. The hallway was cramped and wet. One side had thick metals doors with heavy locks. Each was the same distance from the last.

"There is one open door down yonder," Lee observed. Neji and Gai nodded and they ran silently to the one open cell. Upon reaching the door, the first thing they saw was a body.

"Who is this?" Lee thought out loud. It was a ninja; that much was obvious by his clothes. He had brown hair with blood pooling around his head.

"No headband, must be a rogue," Neji stated.

"I agree, and maybe it was Tenten who broke out of her cell," Gai pondered.

Neji looked around the cell, the chains on the wall and floor weren't broken, but they were bloody. There was blood on the floor too. Looking back to the shinobi he noted that all of his pockets were open or turned out, and...a lump formed in Neji's throat... there were two long white sleeves nearby. Or, what was left of them.

"It was her," Neji clarified, "Those are hers," He said as he bent to pick one up gingerly. It was covered in rips, clean, straight rips. Most likely from a blade. There was blood around each of the tears.

As a shinobi, this Hyuuga was not bothered by the sight of blood. His blood, or anybody else's. But when he knew that it was _Tenten's_ blood, his thoughts changed. His chest tightened.

_Her blood, she escaped…_Although still bothered, Neji was proud of Tenten for escaping.

"This means that our flower has left?" Lee asked his teammates. Neji shook his head.

"No, he didn't die that long ago, she is probably still here somewhere," He spoke.

**BOOM! **

"Probably being the cause of such a youthful fuss," Gai proudly said. The place had shaken with the force.

"Let's go," Neji ordered, leading the way once again with his Byakugan he rushed into the hallway and onward. This time he saw someone. They were being thrown out of one of the areas blocked to his unique vision. Neji lead them there.

_I'm coming Tenten_.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Six left, the fastest, but only six. You can do this Ten._

The tags killed about four of the shinobi, and five more she got on her rampage in, then she fought the rest.

A flick of the wrist and one shuriken brought down one man who had stumbled.

_This is why shinobi shouldn't drink sake._ Tenten reasoned to herself as she tried to focus on fighting the remaining men and not her reopening wounds.

A katana swung near her side, she used a kunai to force it into the path of another shinobi before twirling back around to catch the neck of her attacker with her dagger.

_Three down, three to go._

The three left were coming toward her from different directions so she back up to a wall.

"Little girl, you are one pain in the ass," A scruffy bearded man spoke up. Tenten smiled back, wanting to say something but not wanting to give away that she was out of breath.

She had lost a lot of blood by now, she guessed. The visions at the edges of her eyes were blurry.

_Pull it together, you have to end this_. The inner pep talk to herself made her realize that she did have enough chakra from an easy route to end this.

Tenten smiled again, forming chakra strings invisible to the advancing enemy, connecting her fingers to some weapons behind them.

"Goodbye, you bastards," Tenten smirked as she held her hands up before pulling them inwards; the weapons attached flying toward the rogues.

"You bitch!" One shouted before a katana lodged itself in his heart. The shinobi fell, dead.

Tenten dropped to her knees and smiled.

"I did it…I'm free," Her vision was much blurrier now, but she was happy. She wrapped her arms around herself again in another hug.

Then, footsteps caught her ear, she panicked. Clutching a kunai, she went still as she kneeled on the ground, waiting for more shinobi to run in. She would be ready.

"Tenten!" Neji voice rang out so clear Tenten could almost cry. His figure was blurry, as were the green blobs behind him, but she dropped her weapon and opened her arms to him.

"Neji," She breathed, "Lee, Gai-sensei," The kunoichi felt her teammate embrace her and she let her eyelids fall shut. She was so tired.

"Tenten?" Her name was so far away.

"You came," Tenten was so relieved; she leaned into Neji's chest and listened to his fast heartbeat while drifting off to sleep.

"Tenten!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**I really like this chapter, I tried to make it emotional without adding too many words because it would have happened really fast and I didn't want it to feel like it was taking like, ten minutes, for Neji to run to Tenten. That would be ridiculous . Well, I LOVE YOU ALL! Its almost over! But this isn't the climax (ohhh? Really?) NO! ITS NOT! Just you wait. There it more!**

**-Nexa**


	8. Yours

**I tried to make the NejiTen part cute and sweet, without too much 'Neji over-emotional'. And I'm still unsure about how the hospital scene came out...so will you let me know what you think? and ENJOY!**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**I

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

"Why couldn't you leave any for me to kill, Ten? I would have loved getting back at them for taking you," Neji whispered to himself as he was dressing his best friends' wounds.

He thought he would feel better once he had Tenten back. But Neji found he was getting angrier with every wound he found.

Lee and Gai were getting food and firewood because Neji refused to leave Tenten's side.

They had stopped a bit away from the base in a cluster of trees; settling Tenten down on a soft patch of grass. The wind blew some of her bangs in her face; Neji instinctively brushed them away, but frowned when he saw her sleeping form cringe at the touch.

…

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Tenten felt herself being pulled from her unconscious state. And hated it. She had had the most wonderful dream. She didn't want to open her eyes and see her cell again.

The kunoichi felt some of her bangs tickle her eyelashes and someone moved them back again. She cringed backwards.

_I'm not alone. Miru._

Tenten opened her chocolate eyes and sent a harsh glare at Miru, who was standing in front of her not too far away.

"Hey Tenten," He spoke. She froze.

"How do you know my name?" She questioned him. He grinned and took a step forward. A kunai was in his hand.

"How do you know my name?" Tenten tried again. Miru held the kunai up to her neck.

"Its okay Tenten," He mocked. She tensed and tried to pull herself backwards but the wall held her in place.

"How do you know my name?" She didn't even know why she was still asking.

"Wake up Tenten," Miru chuckled as he spoke.

…

"Tenten, Tenten!" Neji kept shaking her shoulders, trying to wake her up. Her eyes were shut tight and her face was contorted in pain and fear.

"How do you know my name?" She mumbled as she weakly tried to pull herself away.

"Wake up Tenten. Its me, Its Neji," He spoke. Holding her up with one hand under her back and one under her head.

"Neji?" Tenten frowned.

…

"You're not Neji!" Tenten spat, despite the weapon pushing against her throat. His words were confusing. They didn't make sense. How did he know about Neji?

"Wake up," Miru's words echoed. The pressure of the kunai lessened against her and everything went out of focus. Tenten was speechless and had the sudden feeling that her eyes had been shut without her knowing.

Someone was shaking her, she was…lying down?

"Wake up, Tenten; you have to wake up,"

_That sounds like…_She opened her eyes.

"Neji," Her voice floated.

_It…wasn't a dream!_ Tenten looked up to Neji's gentle smile. She grasped her hands in the fabric of his sleeves.

"Neji, Neji! Neji! Neji!" Tenten exclaimed as she repeated to make herself believe it. She launched herself upwards, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and burying her face in the crook of his neck. Relaxing when she felt his strong arms encircle her torso in a hug.

Pulling her back to reality was a throbbing pain…well…everywhere. This sharpened to stabs of pain in places Tenten recognized as her wounds. She gently unlatched herself from Neji's embrace and grit her teeth.

"Your wounds?" He asked, rather rhetorically. Tenten nodded, feeling for the gashes and stabs but was surprised to find bandages. She looked up to her friends pearl eyes.

"Thanks," Was all she said. He nodded, and then spoke.

"Are you okay?" He asked. Tenten furrowed her eyebrows.

"Uh, yeah," She drew out, "I'm not dead," She clarified, dodging the question. Neji's gaze hardened, she looked away.

"Tenten," His voice told her she had to look at him, so she obeyed, "Are you okay," His voice was gentle, careful. Tenten hated the thought of Neji treating her this delicately. She sighed.

"Yeah, I'm fine," His eyes were so beautiful that she found she couldn't look away. "The physical damage is worse than the emotional," Tenten paused, "But…don't…leave me alone," She nearly whispered, her eyes wandering to check the area. Neji nodded. Tenten looked back up at him.

"Neji?" She said, "Can I ask you something?"

"Yes," Her teammate responded. Tenten took a deep breath.

"Are, are you disappointed in me?" Her voice wavered and her eyes drifted to the grass. It had been on her mind ever since she was caught, but she was ashamed to ask. Tenten lowered her head and waited for Neji to say yes.

"Tenten," Neji had cupped her chin with his hand and gently raised her head to look her in the eyes, "I'm _proud_ of you,"

Tenten felt her eyes well up. He was serious. His endless pearl eyes were kind and he wouldn't look away. She blinked.

"Why?" She didn't understand, "I got captured, I had to be rescued, I-"

"Tenten," Neji cut her off with a smile, his thumb stroked her cheek, "You did get the scroll back, you got through torture, and you still managed to escape, killing everyone there before we could even get to you," Tenten smiled and leaned into his palm.

_Do not cry. Do not cry. Do not cry. _ She repeated in her head.

"They," Neji paused hesitantly, this caught Tenten's interest. "They didn't _touch_ you, did they?" Tenten looked into his eyes, they were sharp, and looking only at her, his jaw was tense.

"No, they didn't," She spoke softly as she still leant into Neji's palm. He continued to stroke her cheek with his thumb, soothing both her and himself. He took his other hand and traced his finger next to the long wound down her neck that he despised.

"Why did you get this one?" He asked, almost not wanting the answer. Tenten scowled.

"I got all of them because I wouldn't answer his question," Tenten answered, referring to all of her torture wounds. Neji scrunched his eyebrows up.

"Only one question?" He asked, confused. Tenten gave a small proud smile.

"He asked me my name, and I wouldn't give it, he didn't ask any others because he was trying to get me to answer an easy one first," She spoke smugly. Neji smirked.

"Hn, why didn't you just tell them your name?" He asked. Tenten looked back up at him.

"Even if I did answer, it wouldn't have stopped there, he just would have continued with even more questions,"

"True," Neji said sadly, still stroking her cheek, "I was really worried about you," Neji said. Tenten was stunned, he was showing a lot of affection for one day, but she wasn't complaining of course.

"You know I can take care of myself, Neji," Tenten responded. Neji absently nodded.

"I don't ever want to lose you. You are very important to me," Neji nearly whispered. Tenten reminded herself to breath and placed her hand lightly over his which was cupping her cheek. Not locking eyes with him as she did it.

"You're closer to me than anyone else," Tenten whispered; closing her eyes and leaning her head fully against his palm. She sighed, "I love you Neji," Tenten breathed out dreamily. Neji's mouth went agape, Tenten's eyes shot open and she sat up straight. "Uh…I…" She stuttered. Neji smiled broadly and put his hand behind her neck, nudging her close enough for him to put a feather light kiss on her cheek. Pulling back only a few inches away from Tenten's still stunned face, Neji spoke.

"I love you too Tenten,"

Tenten smiled and leaned forward, Neji matched her; tilting their heads as they joined their lips in a kiss. Neji wrapped his arms around Tenten's waist and she his neck. They ended the kiss and opened their eyes to meet each others. Resting their foreheads together, they smiled contently.

"Tenten, will you be mine?" Neji asked, his care for her showing through his usually masked eyes. Tenten smiled brighter.

"Neji, don't be silly, I already was," Neji smiled back and their lips met for another sweet kiss. Enjoying each others company for awhile.

"Tenten?" Neji asked.

"Hm?" She answered with her head resting against his chest.

"I hope you realize that I'm not going to allow you to ever go on another solo mission again," He spoke as he looked at her, eyebrows raised.

"NEJI!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Days later, a fully present team Gai returned to Konoha. Tenten was dropped off at the hospital before her team went to report the mission.

Now Tenten was in a hospital bed, being checked over by her friend.

"There, I healed all your wounds," Sakura smiled. Tenten raised her eyebrows.

"All of them?" She asked in disbelief. Sakura laughed.

"Torture wounds aren't bad to heal, just painful," Sakura's eyes grew soft, "I couldn't get rid of the scar on your neck though, there must have been something on the blade," Sakura shook her head, then grabbed Tenten's hand, "I'm glad you're okay though, I've seen too many captives that didn't make it," Her face was sad. Tenten squeezed her hand and then smiled; she knew how to cheer her up.

"I have a secret to tell you…" Tenten sang. Sakura beamed, Tenten was thankful Ino wasn't there. If she told her then it wouldn't be a secret anymore.

"Do tell," The medic coaxed on.

"Well, when I was out of that place and in the forest with Neji before we came back…He and I had a little heart to heart," She blushed. Sakura laughed.

"Oh, please go on!"

"Ok, ok, and well. Long story short…" Sakura's eyes were wide and expectant, "We're together!" Tenten giggled and grinned. Sakura matched her joy and hugged the bun-haired young woman.

"How cute! Aw! Tenten that's great!" Sakura cooed, "Oh! And you missed some things while you were gone," Sakura had taken a seat next to Tenten's bed by now and they were chatting animatedly.

"This had better be good, I want to go home and shower!" Tenten joked.

"Naruto got a girlfriend!" She announced. Tenten's mouth went agape, then she smirked.

"You're happy about it! That means it must be Hinata!" She deduced. Her friend nodded her head.

"It was adorable, he was stuttering! Naruto! And Hinata nearly fainted after squealing out a yes," The girls laughed, "And!"

"I wasn't gone that long…"

"Sasuke sent his message, my team and I are heading out tomorrow," A smile was on her face but Tenten could see her eyes were nervous. She sent her a reassuring smile.

"Kick some ass for me out there,"

Sakura smiled for real this time.

"Do I _ever_ disappoint?" Sakura laughed before standing up, "Well Tenten, I have to go attend to some other patients now, but I'm glad your back," She smiled. Tenten smiled back and waved as Sakura left the room.

Tenten looked out the window. It was beautiful outside, birds chirping, warm sun. No drips, no rotting smell, no chains. She pulled her arms and legs in as she had done when she got out of her chains. She noticed that she couldn't sleep all sprawled out like she used to. Tenten hoped that was temporary.

She thought about her time in that cell, looking back it was terrifying. She almost thought she wouldn't get out alive. Even though when she was there it was easy to try and think positive. That's all you can do once you hit the bottom. But now that she was safe, she could look back and see how bad it was.

_I went in too soon. I was too anxious. I took on a whole cafeteria of shinobi after just getting out of my cell. That was so stupid. I got lucky. _Tenten was lucky. That's was she saw. Others saw bravery, saw determination. She saw stupid, coincidental, luck.

_But sometimes that what you need._ She thought. She was desperate, lost. What else did she have to do?

Her cheeks felt warm so Tenten put her hand to her face.

_I'm crying?_ She thought in disbelief. She had held back her tears so well those in the cell and in front of Neji. Tears of sadness, desperation, pain, joy. Tenten smiled and let them fall. _Tears of relief. Its over, I'm alive. I made it._

Tenten thought about her experience as she swept her tongue around the new fake tooth filling in for her lost one. She stood up and went to the mirror. After wiping away the last of her tears she looked at the scar left on her neck.

"That's not bad, you can barely see it," Tenten muttered to herself, smiled, and collected her things.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Thank you for reading! And no, its not over, there are still some things that I pretty obviously foreshadowed, so keep checking up on this :)**

**-Nexa**


	9. Only Her

**Hey! I'm sorry I didn't put up this chapter yesterday! I wanted to but I wasn't home...so I couldn't. This is the second to last chapter! OMG! ENJOY!**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**CHAPTER NINE**

_**-ONE WEEK LATER-**_

Neji felt like a dead man walking. He thought he would give Hiashi a buffer zone after the shock of Naruto and Hinata, but this was still possibly suicide.

Neji knocked sharply on the door.

"Come in," A crisp voice answered. The young man did just that, closing the door softly before bowing to the man at the desk and taking a seat.

"Good afternoon Hiashi-sama," Neji spoke formally, "I wish to discuss a matter with you," Hiashi looked up from his papers, eyeing his nephew carefully before responding.

"Afternoon Neji, what do you wish to discuss,"

Neji gulped and wrung his sweaty palms repeatedly before answering.

"I would like to bring up the possibility of a marriage in my future," He could nearly hear his heart beating. Hiashi looked thoughtful.

"Yes, I suppose you are of age now to elope," Hiashi thought aloud, "The Elders commonly chose possible suitors for a young man to visit," His voice and face were void of emotion. This only bothered Neji further as he had no response thought up. He hated 'winging it'.

"I would like to ask about the possibility of…" Neji searched for the words, "Choosing my own bride," He was slowly making his way farther into deep water.

"But you _would_ choose your own bride, from the list of suitors from the Elders," Hiashi pointed out.

_Alright, its all or nothing now…_Neji thought as he continued to press the matter.

"Yes, however," Hiashi's eyes narrowed, "I have a woman in mind and she would not be on the list of suitors," Neji clenched his jaw, no turning back now.

"And who, may I ask, did you have in mind," He pried. Neji paused. He hadn't wanted to actually involve her until he got permission, but not answering would probably end the conversation.

"…Tenten, my teammate," Neji said confidently. Hiashi turned his head to the side in curiosity.

"Her last name?"

_He's not going to like this…_

"Tenten has no known family name," Neji wasn't sure what to expect next. So he barred himself for anything. Hiashi was quiet for a moment.

"You want permission to marry a clan-less kunoichi?" Hiashi's nose wrinkled and he leaned forward. Neji went on the defense.

"Yes,"

"I'll need to talk to the Elders about this…" Hiashi thought out loud once more.

_The Elders? They'll say no right away! Hiashi is the best chance, if any. I guess it's time to gamble._ Neji thought before speaking up.

"You don't need to talk to the Elders," He said, confident once more. Hiashi raised a brow.

"And why is that?"

"Because this is a simple question," Neji took a breath, there really was no going back now, "I want to know if I will have permission to marry Tenten if she will have me," The young Hyuuga's voice had an edge to it that he had never used on Hiashi before.

"And what if she'll not have you?" The clan leader questioned.

"Tenten is the only woman I would _ever_ marry. If she doesn't want me then I don't wed. And if she does and you don't give permission. I'll do whatever I must to be with her, I'll even leave the clan," His voice was final. Hiashi looked shocked.

"This is preposterous! Why would you-"

"I Love Her," Neji's face was serious, his threats were true, and his reasons were heartfelt. Hiashi was silent for a bit.

"You would do anything to be with her…because you love her?" Hiashi seemed to be repeating Neji's words for the sake of hearing them again. He looked up and saw Neji, obedient Neji, sitting across from his desk with a near glare on his face and his arms crossed.

"Well?" Neji asked, his voice firm. Hiashi opened his mouth to speak, closed it, and tried again.

"Neji, never in my life have I seen you this passionate about anything," Hiashi's voice and face had no emotions once more, "Clan rules are against your request, the Elders would be against your request, _I_ should be against your request," He sighed, Neji leaned forward, held his breath, and unfolded his arms, "But I understand what it feels like to be in love, and for that. I will allow you to marry this, Tenten," Hiashi gave a miniscule smile, but it was still present. "Give me time to get the Elders to approve,"

"Th-thank you. Thank you Hiashi-sama" Neji then smiled for the _first time_ in front of his uncle, "Thank you so much," His voice was formal but the underlying joy was shining through.

_I can't believe that just happened!_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Neji was not meditating. He had come to the training field to meditate, and he even looked like he was meditating. But he wasn't meditating. There was something else that had his attention, or rather, someone.

"Why is your hair so long?" Tenten pondered out loud as she lay sprawled out in the shade of a tree. Neji opened his eyes and rose and eyebrow at his girlfriend; trying to ignore the scar running down her neck.

"Do you have an issue with the length of my hair?" He asked thoughtfully. Tenten's eyes went wide.

"NO!" She yelled, Neji was actually startled, "This is just a conversation," Her eyes narrowed and she jabbed a finger at Neji's chest, "Don't you _dare_ do anything to that beautiful hair of yours,"

"Really?" Neji teased, holding his ponytail in front of his face, "Beautiful?" He scowled at her choice of words. Tenten giggled.

"Its just wonderful," Tenten smiled as she felt the soft tips of his hair, "So why do you keep it long? What _inspired _you?" She pried. Neji paused, thinking it over; Tenten continued to play with his hair happily.

"Well, I suppose," Tenten paused her fun to listen, "It's because my father wore his hair that way," Neji mused, "Why do you wear your hair in buns?" He asked her, taking the hand in his hair from her and lacing their fingers together. Tenten grinned.

"I love pandas, so when I was little my mom did my hair like this for me every day so that I could be a panda,"

Neji was quiet.

"Do you still think you're a panda?" He asked with a smirk.

"Neji!" Tenten shrieked before they both started laughing.

"So who have you told about us?" Neji inquired.

"Just Sakura. Ino, Gai, or Lee would tell the whole village, and Hinata's your cousin," Tenten explained.

"Hinata's my cousin…" Neji waited for more. Tenten got confused.

"She's…just your cousin, okay! I don't know," She huffed. Neji smirked.

"She's your friend," He stated.

"That's true," Tenten said, "Are you okay with everyone knowing? I never asked you?"

"I'm fine with it," He smiled, "It just means that I automatically have your permission to beat up anyone who flirts with you," Tenten rolled her eyes with a laugh.

"What about the clan? Your uncle?" Neji chuckled under his breath.

"I don't think he'll mind," Was all he said.

"You know, now that Sasuke is back, maybe we won't be the talk of the town," Tenten smiled.

"Yeah, good luck with that," Neji snorted.

"Tenten! Neji!" A loud voice called out, catching the pair's attention to the most opposite couple. Loud Naruto and quiet Hinata. Neji dropped his carefree attitude and Tenten felt him close off the world's warmth. Naruto got a sly grin on his face as he and Hinata got closer.

"Heeeey…You too are kinda close…too close for Mr. Ice Cube here," Naruto rubbed his chin with his free hand and eyeing them. Neji glared at him. "Are you two going out?" He concluded loudly. Hinata's face went cherry red.

"N-Naruto-kun!" She gasped at his bluntness. Neji crossed his arms.

"You imbecile," He stated, "There is no relationship of that kind between-" He was cut off.

"Hinata!" Tenten shouted out, smiling ear to ear, "Neji and I are going out!" She blurted out, unable to contain her enthusiasm any longer. Neji frowned at Tenten, who just smiled back. Hinata giggled and Naruto started belting out laughs.

"C-Congratulations Neji-niisan, Tenten-Chan," The heiress smiled politely.

"Thanks Hina!" Tenten chirped back. Naruto snickered.

"Just wait till Ino hears this," He said mostly to himself before dashing off with a devilish grin. Hinata still holding his hand, giggling as they left.

Neji turned to his girlfriend, who was still smiling.

"That went well!" She spoke, satisfied.

"Tenten, telling Hinata, that's okay. But Naruto?" Neji asked, sounding slightly defeated.

"He would have found out eventually anyway," Tenten reasoned, twirling a kunai on her finger. Neji sighed.

"Maybe Sasuke will beat up Lee and take over the gossip about us," Neji offered. Tenten giggled.

"That was a pretty specific example,"

"It wasn't an example, that was wishful thinking," Neji smiled. Tenten just laughed.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Hinata smiled as she walked to her room in the Hyuuga compound. She had just gotten back from going out with Naruto. It was on her way there that she passed her cousin.

"Afternoon Neji-niisan," Her voice chimed politely.

"Hn," He spoke back without stopping. Hinata slowed down. There was something wrong; she could see it in his eyes. Usually Neji was cold and distant when in the Hyuuga compound. His eyes would hide a hint of disgust when he was home. But he would be polite as he was supposed to be.

Today was different. He didn't even speak her name. Neji's eyes weren't cold either, there was something bright there, hidden just under the surface. He was seething mad. She had never seen him this mad before.

Hinata turned toward a different direction. Her mind had begun to fill in all the different possibilities of why Neji had just been so angry. She went to find her father.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**EARLIER**

"Neji?" Hiashi called out as Neji was walking nearby in the compound. Neji turned and walked up to him, "May I see you in my office?"

"Yes, Hiashi-sama,"

The two Hyuugas when silently into a familiar room; Hiashi taking his place behind a desk.

"Please, sit," He gestured to his nephew, Neji obliged.

"What do you need, Hiashi-sama?" Neji spoke, holding his breath for good news. Hiashi's face was stern.

"I have spoken to the clan Elders about your…request," He chose his words carefully.

"And?" Neji was anxious. Hiashi adverted his eyes.

"I _am_ sorry Neji, but I was unable to convince them to approve," He said regretfully. Neji's muscles went tense, he felt his heart freeze.

"_What?_" Neji asked icily. His eyes were narrowing.

"They see you as too great of an asset to not marry you to other strong clans me-"

"You can't stop me from marrying her," Neji raised his voice as he cut his uncle off, "I told you before!" His voice got louder, "Its Tenten," He stood up, "Or no one," Neji hissed; his glare piercing. Hiashi held his lips in a tight line.

"And _I _told you, the Elders have said no. I wish I could do something but I _can't_," He explained, trying to get through to Neji. But Neji wouldn't have it.

"Well maybe _I _can change their minds then," He seethed as he stormed off silently, slamming the door as Hiashi called out to stop him.

Hiashi rubbed his temples; it would be no use trying to stop Neji. He was going to get himself hurt!

"Father?" He heard a soft voice call, he looked up, and it was Hinata at his door with a concerned look on her face, "What's wrong with Neji-niisan?" She asked as she walked in.

"Do you know of Tenten?" Hiashi asked, confusing his daughter more, but she nodded.

"The Elders have decided to not allow Neji to marry her," Hinata gasped, "He is going to them…" Hiashi sounded lost, Hinata thought about this.

"Father," He looked up, Hinata's voice was strong and confident, "Please make sure Neji doesn't get hurt, I'll be back. I know what to do," Hinata took off, jumping out the window as she began running. Hiashi got up; he had only seen Hinata that confident once before, when it involved Naruto. Her boldness surprised him, but right now, he needed to trust her.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Dun Dun Dununnnnn! I'm excited to put up the last chapter! But I will resist, I will try my hardest to put it up sometime tomorrow afternoon, Okay? Okay :) . Thank you again for reading my story! I also love reviews because they make me happy! See You tomorrow!**

**-Nexa**


	10. The End

**Oh my gosh! It's the last chapter! Let me know what you think! I really was proud of this ****. I can't believe it's over! Now I have to work on another story! (I want to write a NaruHina or SasuSaku next...) Enjoy!**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**CHAPTER TEN**

Hinata ran as fast as she could to Team Gai's training grounds. If anyone could get through to Neji, it would be her. She heard the sound of weapons flying and flared her chakra in alarm to let her know she was coming.

"Tenten-Chan!" Hinata gasped, out of breath as she launched herself into the field. Tenten's face was in shock.

_I've never seen Hinata so frazzled…_

"Hinata what's wrong?" She asked, running up to the girl with her hands on her knees, leaning over and breathing heavily. Tenten put her hand on her back to calm her.

_Please let nothing have happened to him…_Tenten thought.

"You have…H-Hyuuga compound…N-Neji-niisan," Hinata got out, it was all she needed.

"Come on!" Tenten exclaimed. She heaved poor Hinata onto her back.

"Eep!"

"What can you tell me on the way?" Tenten's voice was stern. She had to keep serious so as to keep her worry down. Hinata clung to her friend with her arms around her neck.

"N-Neji-niisan asked permission…" Hinata paused, "F-For something very important t-to him,"

"And?" Tenten pressed. If she was going to face the Hyuuga clan, she needed to know what was going on. Hyuuga's were scary.

"Hiashi said y-yes…b-but the E-Elders said no," She stuttered. Tenten had already caught that she was leaving something out.

"Hinata, what did he ask for?"

Hinata bit her lip, but decided that not answering was not a smart idea and that in this situation, Tenten _should_ know…

"H-He…He asked for permission to m-marry y-you…"

Tenten could have sworn she felt her heart stop right then and there.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

This was not the best idea. In fact, this was the _worst _idea, but Neji found that he couldn't stop. He wanted to be with Tenten. He needed to be with Tenten.

Visions of her cell flashed into his mind, the cuts and bruises all over her body when he bandaged her up; her beautiful smile, her wonderful laugh.

The Elders had taken all choices away from him since he was born, he wouldn't let them take Tenten.

Neji reached the doors to the room where the clan Elders discussed their matters. An ornate, blue door with silver designs swirling in intricate patterns and circles…

**BAM**.

The door swung open wide and Neji walked in with a stone face. Many old men with white eyes stared at him, some in shock, and others in disgust. They sat around a large wooden table in cushioned chairs.

"What are you doing here Neji?" One man asked, his hair was pulled back into a bun and wrinkles outlined his face. He was one of the higher ranked Elders. Neji kept his unmoving face and walked farther into the room.

"I am here to discuss something with you that I disagree with," He spoke, his voice eerily calm. No one spoke for a couple of seconds.

"Aah," The same Elder spoke, "You mean you want to talk about that orphan girl," He smirked. Neji held his anger in check but clenched his jaw at the word choice used. "Well I'm afraid there is nothing to discuss," He gestured around the table, "We have already decided that you cannot marry her,"

"That is where you are wrong," Neji spoke up very matter-of-factly, ignoring the sharp glares running him through, "I _will_ marry her, because I _love_ her," A few of the Elders dawned confused faces, "I am only asking for the clan's permission, or ," Neji paused, tasting his choice of words, "A blessing, really,"

The same man who had spoken before scowled. Neji just stared calmly back at him, almost defiantly.

"You are a branch member! You cannot go against the clan's wishes!" He spoke up harshly. Neji took a step forward, showing anger.

"I will do whatever I must to be with her!"

The Elder stood up abruptly, slamming his palms on the glossy table surface.

"Then maybe _we_ should get _rid_ of _her_," He snarled, an evil tune to his eyes. Neji clenched his fists at his side. This was not something he had expected.

"Don't you _dare_ hurt her or I'll-"

"Or you'll _what_?" The Elder frowned, egging Neji on, "You have no power here," He hissed. Neji involuntarily let out a growl, "You are out of line, I believe we must snap you back in place…" He spoke. Neji tensed. They were going to use the curse seal on him.

"I won't give up," Neji was calm again, "I won't let you stop me this time," His voice got stronger, "You can't choose who I Lo-!"

Pain coursed through his body like lava in his veins. Neji dropped to one knee, teeth grinding and eyes clamped shut. Overlapping waves of heat and cold hit him repeatedly as he felt his skin would crumble under the pressure he was feeling just below his surface.

_I can't let them do this! But if I can't convince them they'll actually drag Tenten into here. I don't know what they would do…They might hurt her…_Images ran through his head of the scenes he had imagined involuntarily on his way to get Tenten from her prison. Terrible, nightmarish thoughts that now plagued him again.

_No_.

"You…can't…do…this…" Neji snarled, slowly standing up against the pain. The Elder frowned.

"You will regret your actions," Was all he said before mumbling a word and giving a hand signal, reactivating the seal once more, stronger.

"Gahh!" Neji yelled, succumbing to the pain and dropping to the floor holding his head.

"Kotaru!" A voice sprang fourth. Neji stopped shaking. The man became angrier. Hinata and Tenten had rushed in, their personalities matching each others. Bother stern, both serious, and both angry. Neji seemed to not notice their entrance, only noticing that the curse had halted.

"I'm going to _make_ you answer me how I like…even if you won't agree," Neji gasped as he shakily stood. Tenten got jumpy, Hinata had told her to stay by her side, but she _needed_ to check on Neji. Kotaru the Elder made the hand signal he used before.

**SWISH**

Tenten's kunai flew at Kotaru, halting his actions.

"DON'T YOU HURT HIM!" She yelled viscously as she threw her weapon, and then ran to Neji. Tenten dropped to the ground next to him, running off questions faster than he could comprehend. So he just wrapped his arms protectively around her in a tight hug. She quieted.

"Is _that_ the orphan girl?" Kotaru asked in disgust. Hinata frowned.

"Kotaru-san, your actions have been unnecessary and not in the clans interest," Hinata spoke condemningly, trying to make use of her courage while it lasted. The other Elders who had stayed quiet the whole time because they were overwhelmed now all looked at Hinata in shock, "I have learned on my way here that you understood Neji intended to leave the Hyuuga clan could he not marry Tenten-Chan. And, that you did not tell this information to the other Elders. Neji is a very strong and very capable ninja. Even if you could not marry him off to who you choose, the next best plan would be to at least keep him in the clan; correct?" The heiress spoke, feeling as if she were a lawyer.

"Are you okay?" Tenten whispered. Neji's pain was gone and now he understood what had happened. He released her from his hug and frowned.

"What are you doing here?" He asked unhappily.

"Saving your ass it seems," Tenten smirked.

"They won't hesitate to hurt you, you need to leave," Neji urged her. Tenten pursed her lips.

"No way, I won't let them hurt _you _again, and your battles are my battles," Tenten said before grasping his large hand in her small one and standing them up. Hinata had just finished telling the rest of the elders all of Neji's argument that they had not been told by Kotaru.

"By the way," Tenten whispered in Neji's ear, "YES!" Neji was lost, but then when red when he understood her words after she spoke up again, this time to Kotaru.

"Kotaru! Why won't you let Neji marry me?" Tenten interrogated. Hinata came over to stand by their side.

"Because you are not worthy of bearing the Hyuuga name!" He countered. Tenten scoffed.

"I don't _want_ to be a Hyuuga!" Tenten said, throwing off Neji and Hinata completely, "I just want to be Neji's wife," She explained calmly. The other Elders were just watching this play out now, Kotaru still wasn't convinced.

"I don't think any of you understand," Neji spoke up, still clasped to Tenten's hand, "I _Love_ her, only her. You can't marry me off to anyone else. Even if you try, I'll do what I have to, to make them not want to marry _me_," Neji's voice was strong, all others were silent, "You still have two choices, let me marry Tenten, or disown me so that I can without you," He sent them his infamous glare along with his speech. Tenten gave his hand a squeeze.

Kotaru sat down and the room filled with murmurs as the Elders discussed it over, Kotaru's angry words being thrown around also. Hinata scooted closer to them, her courage having run out.

"What do you think they will say?" Tenten asked her companions. Neji shrugged.

"I don't care," He said, Tenten frowned, he smirked, "Because _whatever_ it is, it doesn't matter. I will still be marrying you," His smirk turned into a smile. Tenten giggled softly.

"I-I don't think they really h-have a choice," Hinata spoke up, "Y-you may not realize it N-Neji-niisan, but you are a very i-important asset to the c-clan," Hinata smiled. Neji raised his eyebrows and Tenten smiled. An elder stood up and the murmurs dispersed.

"We have decided," He spoke, Tenten, Neji, and Hinata were at least relived it wasn't Kotaru, "We have decided, Hyuuga Neji, that you," He paused and the girls held their breaths, "May marry this, Tenten,"

"YES!" Tenten shouted in joy. Neji shocked the elders by smiling, although, not at them. He smiled at his love. Tenten grabbed his head in her hands, grinning, and pulled him in for a kiss. She pulled back with a satisfying 'smack!'. Neji chuckled and slid an arm around her waist. Tenten turned to Hinata next to her, who was smiling as well.

"Thank you Hinata, this means so much!"

"You're w-welcome but you don't need to Th-thank me Tenten-Chan," She smiled sweetly. Tenten just grinned wider. Neji turned to face the Elders, his face serious but his white eyes showed his happiness.

"And Thank you," He said simply. A few of them nodded, Kotaru still looked angry. Neji turned, guiding Tenten out of the room using his hand still around her waist. Hinata followed next to them.

"We'll need to keep this quiet until it's all planned," Neji said as they walked outside into the Hyuuga gardens.

"Wh-why's that?" Hinata asked. Tenten swung her hand laced with Neji's back and fourth at her side.

"We can't get Gai-sensei or Lee involved," Neji said with a dead serious face. Tenten laughed.

"Yeeeaaaaah…Good luck with that!"

Suddenly there was a crash and some yelling from inside the house.

"Hinata!" It sounded like Hiashi, yelled, "Come collect your boyfriend! He's tearing up my home!" Hinata giggled and stood up, Tenten let out a laugh.

"HEY! I didn't know someone was on the other side of that door! How come they didn't see ME! Can't everyone here see through wa-" Naruto's yelling was then mixed with some of Hiashi's yelling, then another crash.

"HINATA!" Hiashi nearly screamed

"E-Excuse m-me," Hinata said with a red face as she nearly ran off to stop the fighting. Tenten laughed again, much louder this time. Neji cracked a smile.

"So when were you planning to propose?" Tenten asked.

"I hadn't gotten that far yet…" Neji admitted.

"Oh really! I am so very disappointed in you Neji!" Tenten playfully chided. Neji raised an eyebrow.

"I do apologize my Panda, can you ever forgive me?" He played along, smiling a bit. Tenten giggled, and then paused in thought.

"If _I'm_ Panda, then what are you?" She wondered out loud.

"I don't know; what should I be?" He asked, throwing the question back at her. She narrowed her eyes, looking at him.

"Hmm…I'm Panda because of my hair…so then I should use your hair for…" Tenten trailed off mumbling her train of thought. Neji smirked and waited.

"Got it!" Tenten cried, she pointed at him, "Your hair is pretty," Neji didn't like where this was going, "And cats have very pretty fur, so I will call you…Kitty!" She grinned. Neji's jaw nearly dropped.

"K-Kitty?" He croaked out. Tenten laughed.

"I'm just kidding!" Neji looked terribly distraught, "Oh man! You should have seen your face!" Tenten laughed.

"That thoroughly terrified me, Tenten," Neji said, Tenten kept smiling.

"Ah, ah, that was great," Her laughter died down and a pause filled the air.

"I love you Neji," Tenten cooed. Neji chuckled and kissed her on the nose.

"I love you too Tenten," He said with a smile. Neji then leaned back and turned her head gently to the side. Tracing his fingers down the scar that was still faintly there and always would be.

Tenten sighed.

"Neji, you have to get used to it, it's not going away," She reasoned. He frowned at her.

"Will you tell me about it?" He asked her, "If not now, someday?" Tenten tilted her head in thought.

"I would think you wouldn't like hearing it,"

"Knowing, would be better than the endless possibilities I keep imagining," He spoke softly. Tenten nodded.

"Alright, let's go to the field,"

In minutes they had ran casually to their training ground; taking seats leaning against a large tree. Neji resisted holding her hand because he knew she used her hands a lot when telling stories.

"Where do you want me to start?" Tenten asked, fishing for a point that she could jump into the story at.

"After they took you," Neji decided. She took a deep breath.

"Well, I woke up and it was dark, it smelled, and I was hanging from chains attached to my wrists…" Tenten told her story to Neji, going into detail at parts she succeeded at, and detaching herself from the times she was hurt. Neji listened silently, taking it all in because he wanted to remember everything she said. Although, Tenten admitted, there were wounds that had only faint memories attached to them because of something else that hurt at the same time. Eventually she got to the point at which Neji realized he was about to make an appearance.

"I didn't have much Chakra, so I used the last I could to make chakra strings and killed the three rogues cornering me. I was really relieved it was all over but then I heard you coming. I thought you were more shinobi, still did even when you got to me because my vision was blurry and I couldn't see you. When I finally realized it was you guys, I swear I could've cried. I was really glad it was over," Tenten faced her love, he held her hand in his own.

"How are you now," Neji asked, a common question she had been hearing lately. Tenten rested her head on his shoulder.

"The nightmares are gone," She said happily, "But sometimes I still wake up and it feels like I'm in my cell," She frowned, "So I play music at night so that I'll hear it as I'm waking up. It helps," Tenten explained.

"Hn," Neji voiced, "But, I'll be there when you wake up soon too,"

"Yeah," Tenten smiled, "That will help too,"

The conversation ended but the two sat together comfortably in silence.

Tenten felt, lighter; as though a hand pressing on her heart had released it pressure. She hadn't told anyone about her experience personally. Only wrote it in the mission report. Now she could put it behind her; moving on stronger than before, with only a few extra scars following along.

Neji was also relieved of pressure that had been holding him down. The main branch had been with him his whole life. Telling him what to do, who to be. And now he was just Neji, he had conquered them. For her. And now, he felt that he had freed himself.

They could move on now with their lives, free from cages, and not alone, but with each other at their sides, together.

It really was amazing what one event could do.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

** How was the ending? Too fast? I was a bit unsure about it. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this! I just love the part with Naruto here, haha. I plan to finish more stories eventually; it just takes me awhile in between because I write them before I put them up. Thanks for reading this! I really appreciate it! **

** -Nexa**


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